


Banished

by Ruggels



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Angst, Gay Sex, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Titan Shifter Eren Yeager
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-30
Updated: 2019-05-28
Packaged: 2020-02-10 02:11:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 44,241
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18650794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ruggels/pseuds/Ruggels
Summary: Eren is banished by humanity after they decide that he is no longer useful. Under threat of execution, he is forced to leave his friends and love, Levi.But Eren finds a new life living outside the walls. Through his new home and family, Eren learns more about himself and the titans and a freedom that is not found inside the walls.Several years later humanity is in trouble once more, the scouts are sent out to look for Eren and bring him back and under the control of the scouts once more.Can the scouts convince Eren to come back to the walls? The place that had ridiculed, used and then discarded him.Can Levi and Eren rekindle their love, after the years separated?Thanks to Cowboymom2 for helping with summary :)





	1. Banished

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so i am making Levi and Eren a bit more closer in age than in the Manga/Anime. It follows the manga/anime up to the point where Eren joins the scouts. I haven't elaborated to much on what happens before this fic but its not hard to pick up what i have done. Its mostly I am using characters that die in the anime that i have kept alive for fic, mostly Levi's squad.
> 
> Not doing the age thingy of titans with the 13 years only. 
> 
> And Eren is 21 and Levi 26 at the start of the fic. Ages explained as go through the fic.
> 
> Characters are a bit OC. tried to keep them as close as i can. Also Eren is older so more mature than in the anime

Levi watched in silence his mouth pursed into a thin line, the only sign of his worry was fingers clenched tight into his forearms which crossed his chest. The others around him screamed and cheered as they stood on top of the wall watching the battle in front of them. Eren was in Titan form battling against the last of the abnormal titans. He flinched as he watched Eren take a blow to his jaw dislocating, the large hairy Beast Titan had the advantage of his height, but Eren was just had sheer stubbornness and a stupid amount of determination to win, he fought back against the hairy beast, he slammed himself into the titan knocking him from his feet, steam erupted and the humans on the wall lost sight of the two behemoths as the steam got that thick it covered them, suddenly loud pained screaming came from the cloud and then sudden silence. Levi moved forward his eyes darting back and forth strained looking for any kind of movement, when he spotted a large shadow moving his heart thumped even harder, it felt like it was going to break out of his chest, his fingers grabbed the edge of the wall his eyes squinting trying to make that dark moving shape, and out of the steam walked Eren, his titan form covered in steaming blood, his steps unstable and wobbly. The crowd erupted into cheering, Eren had won, they had won. The beast titan was the last of his kind, the last of the aberrant titans, well apart from Eren.  
Levi sagged his body filled with relief as Eren walked his way over to the wall, for six years they had fought together battling killing Titans but this was it Eren had done it for them turning the tide, at twenty-one years of age Eren had given humanity a true hope. He waited standing on the top of the wall, as Eren reached his arm up his hand settling against the wall. Levi jumped, using his mobility gear to push down the wall into the waiting hand, running along the titan’s arm, he jumped to the nape of the giant and sliced through the muscles and Eren popped out, he helped tear him from his titan frame. Levi cupped Eren’s face his fingers brushing over the lines where he was connected to the Titan.  
“We did it, Levi,” Eren smiled tiredly but with that goofy grin of his.  
“Yes, we did, you did amazing,” He leaned down and kissed Eren softly, their lips moved against each other’s slowly, relishing in the feeling of the other. Lifting Eren in his arms, Levi propelled them back up to the top of the wall.  
His squad was there waiting for them, cheer erupted as Eren grinned as he wobbled on his feet, before going to his knees sitting down. “Hey guys,” he smiled as his team surrounded them, Levi behind him letting him use him as a leaning post.  
“EREN YEAGER,” a loud voice boomed and the celebrating group stopped and looked over to the MP’s marching towards them. “On orders of the King you are under arrest, and to be kept in a cell till your trial.”  
“What the fuck, are you talking about arsehole,” Levi’s voice was cold and sharp as he stood, his steel eyes glaring holes into the MP.  
The man faulted slightly before he looked down at the exhausted young man. “By orders of the King, at the death of the Beast Titan, Eren Yeager is to be reprimanded and placed into custody. Tomorrow he is to be tried for his crimes against humanity.”  
Everyone stared to yell around him, making sure Eren was able to sit on his own before he stood.  
“What crimes against humanity?” he snarled, everyone falling quiet, angry pissed off Levi was a terrifying site, well to all but Hange who was grinning like a loon in the background. “Eren has done nothing but helped humanity, saving your dumb, lazy, shit stained arseholes, while you’re in here enjoying your fat pampered lives, he is out there,” Levi pointed over the wall, “risking his life, killing titans.” One of the MP’s started to draw his swords, and Levi’s had his in his hands in a flash, his eyes narrowed on the shaking man, “Try me,” he snarled, as everyone else started to draw their weapons to.  
“STOP,” Eren yelled out. “Just stop all of you,” he wobbled to his feet, Armin, moved to his side and helped support him as Mikasa stood close by, her swords in hand and eyes cold and dark as she locked onto the MPs. Most looking uncertain, and unsure as they looked around at the scouts, all glaring hostile at them.  
“Please no fighting. It’s not worth it,” Using Armin as a human support post he moved up to Levi, Mikasa shadowing their steps. He placed his hand on Levi’s shoulder and felt how tense he was, his muscles ready to spring into action. “There is no need for this, everyone put away your weapons.”  
“Eren?” Mikasa and Levi said at the same time, voices matched with anger and asking what the fuck he was doing.  
“Where is Yeager to be held contained?” Erwin asked as he loomed over the MP.  
“Th-the military police cells,” the man stammered.  
“Not good enough,” Erwin snapped. “Everyone put down your weapons,” he ordered his voice strong and sure. Everyone followed, except Levi and Mikasa.  
“Levi please,” Eren wrapped his fingers over Levi’s, “Don’t do this.”  
Levi sneered, his face falling blank as he stood straight and swords sliding back into their housing spots, his arms crossed over his chest and he stared straight at the MP leader. “Ackerman, you to,” he snapped not turning to look at the woman. She held for a moment before letting out a puff of breath and to put her swords away.  
Erwin waited a moment, staring down the MPs. “Eren Yeager, is not to be housed in the Military Police holding cells, he is an asset to humanity and a hero, he will be treated as one.” He held his hand up to stop any words that would start spewing from the MPs lips. “He will however be taken to the court cells, if his trial is to be held tomorrow he will go there. We scouts will watch over our comrade.” I placed his hand over his heart and gave the salute, “I promise that he will be kept inside a cell and watched at all times, and not released.”  
The MP seemed to think for just a moment before nodding, he didn’t see any other way out of this, not with his head intact by the way that the two Ackerman’s were glaring holes into him. “Agreed, we will come for Yeager, when his trial is ready.” The MP’s turned away and started to move to the elevator that would take them back to the ground, and waited for the scouts to move.  
“I’m sorry Eren,” Erwin said as he looked at him. “We can’t ignore the orders of the King.”  
“It’s fine,” Eren grinned tiredly at him, his legs wobbled and collapsed under him, Armin not strong enough to hold his weight up.  
“Alright, lets get you to the Courts so you can rest,” Erwin nodded, and moved to join the waiting MPs.  
Mike moved forward and picked Eren up, his eyes already closing, he was to tall now for Levi to carry him easily. He fell asleep to the gentle moving of Mike’s steps, and Levi’s fingers shifting his fringe from his face.  
***  
He was laying back in a soft bed, covered with a blanket, he blinked as he opened his eyes, he stared up at the brick ceiling above him, he eyes flicking to the cell door, he groaned, ‘yep the dungeons’ he thought as he sat up.  
“Eren,” he turned his head at the voice and he smiled, Levi sat in the corner on a chair, legs folded and holding his cup of tea like usual by the rim as he took another sip.  
“Levi, how long was I out for?” he asked.  
“Only a few hours.”  
“No chains?” he asked as he shook his wrists.  
Levi growled, “The bastards wanted to, but I told them if they touched you I would cut their hands and feed them back to them by shoving them up their arses.”  
Eren laughed, as he moved to get off the bed. But Levi moved faster and he pushed Eren back down and kissed him. Eren moaned as he kissed back, his hand running down the strong sides and back of his rather forward lover. “We can’t not here,” he hissed as he pulled his lips from Levi’s feeling his body react.  
“Nobody is down here but us. Erwin has put most of the scout regiment on the floors above us. Anyone that’s tries to get down here, has an army of very pissed off people to get through.”  
Eren smiled as he kissed Levi again this time harder, more passion, he curled his arms around the slighter man, enjoying the feeling of the strength in those muscles before flipping them. He took his time, pulling his clothes off finding the bottle of oil in Levi’s pants pocket, the older man just raising an eyebrow. Chuckling he kissed his way down Levi’s chest, to his freed member. Soon he was moaning for Eren, wiggling on the mattress his face flushed, as Eren’s mouth pleasured him as fingers got him ready.  
“Please,” he moaned as he arched up into Eren’s mouth, “Please.”  
Eren moved up, and he slowly guided himself into Levi, they moved together gentle, their releases building gradually, till Levi came over their stomachs, his fluttering insides taking Eren with him. 

“Why did you stop me and let those idiots take you?” Levi asked, when they finished panting, and basking in the afterglow.  
“We lose enough people to titans, we don’t need humans killing humans, not now we are so close to the end.” Eren rubbed his fingers up and down Levi’s arm. “It will be fine, remember last time, they saw reason, while all the aberrant titans are gone there are still plenty of the normal and abnormal titans still roaming out there. No doubt Dot Pixis will be the judge again, he is reasonable and will see that there is truth to the fact I am still needed.”  
Levi frowned, “We will need to leave this shit hole, when the last titan falls, we can’t get caught here, when you’re the last titan they will not stop trying to kill you.”  
Eren nodded, “We will leave, Levi, we can go wherever we want, whenever we want, no wall holding us in, nothing but vast lands and open skies.”  
Levi quickly moved and straddled Eren, a smirk curling the edges of his lips. “That does sound good.” He leans forward and kisses him, his lips and tongue battling against Eren’s. He pushed down against the twitching member under him, and he moaned as they rubbed their hardening cocks against each other. He reached down behind him and lined Eren’s hard length with his still loose and wet hole. And sat down, this time Levi controlled the pace, it was hard, fast and messy, he rode Eren, the younger enjoying the site of Levi bouncing up and down on top of him, his hand tugging on the erection bouncing in front of him. It was faster this time, much faster they found their releases together.  
Levi pulled himself off Eren, moaning how dirty they were as more cum slid down his thighs. Eren grabbed his shirt and cleaned Levi up then himself. He pulled the covers over them and they fell asleep. 

***  
He knelt in the middle of the room, his hand cuffed behind his back to the post, shocked. Everyone was yelling around him, the scouts mostly, Mikasa and Levi glaring daggers into the nobles that stood at the judge’s desk. They had just all listened to the bogus crimes and allegations that had been placed against him, stuff that had even happened years before.  
“To summon the proceedings, Eren Yeager is found to be guilty of the charges of, cowardice, absence without leave, crimes of aggression against higher officers, insubordination, and most of all numerous accounts of ignoring superiors’ orders.” The Royal government official stared down at him. “You are a threat to humanity, Yeager, you clearly have no control and it is clear the superiors of the Scouts have no control of you either. Due to this extensive amount of evidence, you are to be sentenced to death.”  
Eren almost collapsed back against the post that held him, his arms slack, his legs like jelly, the first thing he did was stare straight at Levi, who had turned deathly white, his head shaking.  
“However - ” Eren’s eyes dragged back to the royal official. “-the king has decided to allow you a choice, due to the deeds you have done for humanity, despite your wilfulness to superiors, he is allowing you a choice. Death or Banishment. Either will happen the moment that this court session is over.”  
Everyone started to yell again, but Eren couldn’t believe this, after everything he had done, he straightened from where he knelt, “I choose banishment,” he called loudly over everyone.  
The crowd was silent again, you could hear a pin drop, before the official nodded. “We believed this would be the choice you made. You will be removed from here, and taken directly to the gate of Shiganshina, you are to leave the gates and never return to the walls of Mitras, if seen here, or nearby, you will be executed on the spot. Am I clear Eren Yeager.”  
Eren nodded, “Crystal clear.” He didn’t watch as the officials left, his eyes never leaving Levi’s. To the side he saw Erwin, grabbing Sasha, whispering in her ear quickly, nodding she gave a fast salute and she ran off, he then grabbed Connie, the same thing before he to nodded, saluted and started to run. Erwin vaulted the rails with Levi, Mikasa and Armin. He blocked the MP’s that came towards Eren, and held his hand out for the key, his eyes making sure he knew business. The men handed them over with no question.  
He quickly undoes Eren shackles, and he leaps in Levi’s arms. “I’m so sorry,” he whispered, to Levi.  
“I am going to gut those useless pricks,” he snarled.  
“No,” Eren shook his head, “no talk of this, not while we only have an hour left together.” They stood together.  
Erwin looked over them, “I’m so sorry Eren, if I knew, I could have tried to buy us time.”  
Eren nodded, “So be it Commander, the King has spoken.”  
Erwin took a deep breath, “Come we got to start moving,” the procession was slow, but the scouts formed a solid mass between Eren and the crowd that had gathered. It was like they were marching to a funeral the sombre feeling around them, and in a way, they were, they were losing on of their own today. Eren cuddled Levi into his side, his hands moving up and down his back, they were that engrossed in each other, before they knew it they were at the gates. Sasha already stood there along with Connie, he held the reigns of a horse whilst Sasha strapped a scout’s bag that looked stuffed to point of bursting.  
Eren glanced at Erwin and nodded his thanks before looking back down at Levi and traced his face his fingers gentle.  
“I’m coming with you,” Levi snaps.  
Eren shakes his head, “No, if I have to lose you, I would rather it be here inside these walls, where I know you are safe. Not out there, I couldn’t bear to lose you out there.” He shivered and kissed Levi, softly and slowly. Everyone else turning away giving them a semblance of privacy. “I will be okay, I will survive out there, my Titan form will help me.” He kissed him again, harder more desperate this time. He gave a shuddering breathe as he turned from Levi to say goodbye to the others.  
Mikasa had withdrawn into herself, her scarf tugged high on her face. “Mikasa, please, don’t go on a crazed rampage, live, get yourself a life, don’t hide,” he hugged her hard. Armin joined them and the three hugged each other, tears running down their faces. “You’re the best family anyone could have asked for, look after her Armin, don’t let her do anything stupid.” He let them go, he smiled and nodded as he moved amongst the rest of the 104th and Levi’s squad. It was hard to say goodbye to so many at once, but he did, shaking Erwin’s hand one last time, thanking him verbally for the horse and pack.  
“It’s probably not much, I told Sasha to grab a few sets of clothes and provisions,” Erwin murmured.  
“Better than walking out here with only my clothes on the back.”  
He turned to Hange and received a bone crushing hug they actually lifted his feet from the floor, “I had so many more experiments planned Eren,” they whined.  
Eren actually laughed, “well you are just going to have to find another guinea pig now Hange.”  
He turned back to Levi who stood beside the horse. “I cant let you go,” Levi said softly as Eren embraced him.  
“You have to my love,” Eren whispered into his ear. “Let me go Levi, don’t mourn for me, please move on, let your heart heal, keep living.” He lifted Levi’s chin, “You never know what the future might bring us.” He kissed him one last time, before mounting his horse and kicking it forward. The guard gates opening the doors just enough for him to slip out, thankfully no titans had been seen in the area.  
His heart tore inside his chest, he was leaving everything and everyone behind, his friends, his home, and Levi, the man he had come to love with everything he had. But he didn’t look back, if he had he would have seen one lone figure appearing there on top of the wall, watching his retreating form.


	2. Pain

Five years, five whole years since Eren had left. And like usual time moved on. Erwin watched from top of the wall as Mikasa and Levi took out the last few titans. The titans seemed to slow for a while a semi peace falling over the country side.   
The first few months after Eren’s banishment was the harshest on the scouts. Levi’s squad along with the other veterans, had one night of mourning, before they got up and kept going like it never happened, loss was a feeling all to common. Armin, he heard crying a few times as he passed his room, but he left him alone. It was only truly when he met a girl that his heart started to heal many months later. Mikasa, that one he wasn’t sure about, she was broodier than before, her fighting more aggressive, savage, but she never ignored orders. She was truly scary, not that he would ever admit to anyone, but she did cause shivers to run up and down his spine when she looked directly at him.   
Levi, now he was a different matter entirely. He stood on the top of wall, staring into the distance, long after Eren had disappeared from view, hours later. He sent Hange up to get him to come down. But he hit her, actually hit her, before zooming off on his 3D gear. To say Erwin had been pissed was an understatement, but Hange waved him off, saying to leave him be. But after a week of no one seeing Levi at the scout’s den, his paperwork piling up, Erwin had enough. He marched down to Levi’s house and knocked on the door.   
“Oh, Commander Smith,” Levi’s housekeeper, Ms Clare opened the door, “How can I help?”  
“Is Levi in?” he asked.  
Ms Clare frowned, “I haven’t seen Levi since the day before Eren left.”  
Erwin pursed his lips, “Thank you Ms Clare, if you happen to see him, please send for someone of the scouts.”  
“Of course, and if you get word of him, please inform me, I am worried for him.”   
“Sure thing, have a good day Ms Clare.” He turned and walked away. ‘Where in the walls could Levi be?” he thought. Suddenly he froze, turning on his heel sharply he marched very quickly back to the scout’s den.   
“Petra, Gunther, Eld and Mike, get into plain clothes, the rougher the better.” He called to the team that was practicing moves in the courtyard.   
“YES, SIR!” came calls from behind him. He marched into his room, slamming the door shut as he changed into the oldest plain clothes he had. Damn he hoped his hunch was wrong, “Damn it, Levi,” he muttered. He placed his knives against his forearms and another set on the out side of his calves, he hoped that he didn’t have to draw them. By the time he moved back down the stairs, the four scouts stood waiting for him, he glanced over them seeing the outline of a few weapons.   
“Follow me,” he marched out of the den and down the street heading for the shady part of town, the scouts following behind him.   
“Where are we going commander?” Mike asked.   
“Saving Levi’s stupid arse,” Erwin muttered loud enough for the others to hear.   
Petra and Gunther looked at each other.   
“We’re going to the underground,” Mike stated suddenly.   
The other paused, “WHAT,” Petra gasped.   
“You all know Levi’s back story, I am worried that he has fallen so far into depression that he has resorted back to what he remembers.” Erwin stopped at the gateway into the depths of the underground. “Watch your back down here, and be careful, keep an ear out for Levi. I am guessing with how angry he is, he will be causing a seen down here.”  
With that they stepped down following the stairs into the gloom.   
They had been walking around for hours, all of them having to get aggressive with pickpockets and muggers. They were even accosted by a gang, that was left feeling sorry for themselves.   
Erwin was just about to give up, thinking that maybe he had made a mistake, they had asked so many people, but none recognised Levi’s name. When heard a name that made his ears prick. “Rivaille’s fight starts soon, we have to hurry,” Erwin motioned to the scouts following him and sprung around the corner on two street thugs.   
“What is this?” he demands, “Who is this Rivaille, you talk about?”  
The men try to bolt but they are grabbed by Mike and Eld, it doesn’t take much more than a twist of the arm. “The fighting pits, a man a new man never seen before, fights like the devil he does, he goes by Rivaille.”  
“My thanks,” Erwin turns, Eld and Mike dump the men on their faces.   
“The illegal pits, if I find him there I am going to throw him in the cells,” Erwin grinds his teeth together. The roar of a crowd is what they hear first, the men split up, Mike following Erwin, the others all finding their own ways in.   
They push through the crowd, ramming their elbows into the sides of people who don’t move fast enough. Erwin finally gets his first sight down into the ring. Sure, enough there is Levi, his eyes fixed on his opponent, a huge lug of a man, who was already panting hard, like Levi he was stripped of his shirt only a pair of pants, feet moving across the blood splattered sand floor. The lug bellowed and ran at Levi hands outstretched in front of him. Mike snorting beside him, “Idiot” he mutters.   
Levi moves almost bored to the side, grabbing the brute’s arm, twisting and sending him flying through the air, his back colliding into the sides of the pit, where he fell unconscious, the only sign of life was the rise and fall of his chest. He watches as Levi turns those cold blank eyes on him. Quick flicks tell him he has seen the others in the crowd. He pffts in his usual way. Walks to the chair that holds his shirt, pulling it on and vaults the wall of the pit, walking past Erwin pausing when Erwin grabs his arm. “Let go,” he sounds bland.   
“Levi,” Erwin begins, when Levi twists his arm out of his hold.   
“Fuck you,” he growls glaring at the blond, “and fuck everyone else.” The crowd very rapidly pulling back from them.   
Mike grabs his arm, “Hold on their Levi,” he goes to say, when he is shoved hard, his body falling backwards over the pit walls, but his strong hold dragging Levi with him. They both land on their feet, pulling apart from each other quickly, their eyes watching each other as Erwin lands smoothly on the sand as well.  
“Come home Levi,” Erwin starts.   
“YOU TOOK MY HOME FROM ME,” he yells at Erwin. “YOU AND EVERY OTHER UNGRATEFUL PIG IN THIS FUCKED UP CITY.” He was angry so fucking angry, he hadn’t felt this kind of rage bubble inside of him since Isabell and Farlan. “YOU,” his anger directed solely at Erwin, “YOU SHOULD HAVE LEFT ME DOWN HERE, IT’S ALL YOUR FAULT. ISABELL AND FARLAN, AND NOW EREN.” His breathing was harsh, “HOW MANY PEOPLE I LOVE DO YOU INTEND TO TAKE FROM ME?” He launches at Erwin, Mike intercepting him and the fight started, they punched and attacked each other. The crowd yelling bets to each other in the back ground. They were evenly matched in a fist fight, both taking blows. Finally, they pulled apart, blood dripping from Levi’s lip where Mike had gotten a solid punch in, Mike’s left eye starting to swell. 

“STOP THIS,” Petra jumped in between the two. “Mike enough,” she turned to Levi. “Please Levi, stop this, come back with us. Eren wouldn’t want you to do this to yourself, you know that.” Her kind words and voice floated over him and his knees went out from under him and he cried. His whole body shaking with the sobs that wracked his body. Arms circled him and he cried into Petra’s shoulder, he didn’t care that the entire pits watched on. All he cared about was the giant gapping hole that was ripping his chest apart. His crying quietened and stopped, he took a giant breath and sat up. Erwin moved up beside the two, he knelt.   
“I can’t rewind the past, I can’t give you back what you have lost, I wish I could but I can’t, you have a choice Levi, come out of this dark world and join the world of light once more. I will not force you up those stairs,” he stood and turned and walked away. “Mike, Petra, Gunther, Eld,” he snapped. The men followed quickly, Petra more slowly, she let her arms fall away as she stood and turned her back on him. He watched them walk away before, exhaling, he stood and followed after them. Pushing past them at the front door.   
“Joining us Levi!” Erwin stated.   
“Fuck off eyebrows,” he says with no venom, “I can’t deal with you till I have a bath, I’m filthy.” He marches off in front of them. Erwin smirks and he looks across at Mike, “Go to Moblit, when we get back,” he gestured to the man’s bruising face.   
Mike just grins, “He was holding back,” he mutters, “he pulled some of his punches I could feel it.”   
“Hurry up, you useless idiots,” Levi snaps in front of them.   
Petra laughs and runs after Levi.   
***  
Levi didn’t magically return back to his sulky sour self, it took time, nobody but the closest to him would have even seen the difference. But he never saw those small smiles, soft laughs that Eren managed to coax from him, he was the cold calculated person again. While Erwin didn’t think that it was good for him, he let it be, his best solider came back and was able to operate smoothly, amazingly keeping his entire team alive in the years that had passed.   
He watched as the pair scaled the walls back up to him.   
“Commander,” Mikasa saluted  
Levi cocked a hip and raised an eyebrow, “these titans are getting persistent, the ugly bastards. One actually managed to get twenty metres up the wall.” He checked his swords before putting them away in the cannisters.   
“Yes, they are an issue,” Erwin agrees, “Nor are they the only problem, the last crops failed again, this is the second lot in a row now, as you know and what didn’t fail was destroyed by the locusts that came through. The citizens are starting to starve. Rationing is no longer viable to keep up. Orders have come from the top, the gates at Trost, Krolva, Karanase and Utopia are to be shut, no one in and out of Wall Rose unless you are Scouts, MP’s or Garrison. We have been ordered out past the walls, following that large herd of bison that went past yesterday, we are to hunt, and fill the wagons with as much food as possible and return to the wall. We leave in the hour, get yourself ready. Your horses are being prepared by others, get your bags.”  
Mikasa salutes as Levi just nods, Erwin gestures his head at Mikasa, who takes off over the side of the wall, he turns to Levi. “There is a second thing as well.” He reaches into his coat and pulls out a scroll. “According to the royal officials, they were harsh in their punishment to Eren and he is pardoned of all crimes and is welcome back to the city, as long as he joins the scouts once more.”  
Levi is pissed, he snarls, “fat help that is,” he feels the urge to tear the piece of paper into a million pieces, if it wasn’t for the fact it would make a mess. He pauses a moment and regains control. “If Eren is still out there, he will be a long way gone, we will never see him again.” Levi walks off, and vanishes over the wall.   
“I hope your wrong Levi, I hope your wrong.” Erwin gazes out over the open plains.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so got this done a bit quicker than thought i would.   
> Next chapter follows Eren as he leaves the wall.
> 
> Reviews Please tell me what you think.


	3. Freedom

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A massive shout on in thanks to all those who left Kudos.
> 
> And to Technoqueen113, ajovan and Merskun this chapter is to you. Thanks hope you enjoy.

(Eren has just left the wall) 

Eren shivered as he huddled up in a tree. It wasn’t a large tree, but it got him off the ground. It was cold, the wind that brushed against him, raised the goose bumps even more. He pulled his pack closer to him, and fished around inside it, he pulled out another shirt and pulled it on over the top of the one he already wore, putting his cloak back on before pulling out a second cloak and donned that as well. He had lost his horse that morning, only two days since he had left the wall and the silly thing, had stumbled and fell. When he got up off the ground it was standing again, its head drooping low to the ground its front leg hanging uselessly. Murmuring softly, he patted itself head and made sure that it didn’t see the knife he drew as he cut deep into the animal’s neck, severing the main artery quickly and efficiently. The animal went down and died very quickly. He pulled his saddle bag off the back of the horse and started to walk.   
The wind picked up again and Eren muttered to himself, as he pawed through the bag seeing what else it held. When his fingers found a very soft cloth, he pulled it out. It was Levi’s night shirt. Somehow Sasha must have grabbed it in her rush packing stuff for him. He pressed the material up against his nose, the citrusy smell of Levi flooded his nose. He sobbed as he clutched the material tighter to him. His eyes closed as he pulled the image of the man to his mind, falling asleep as Levi’s voice echoed through his head as his smell invaded his nose. 

Before the sun had even risen he was walking again, the saddle bags slung over his shoulders Levi’s shirt packed safely away. He chewed on a ration bar as he walked his eyes keeping alert for movement. He had been very lucky so far, the only titans he had spotted had been far off in the distance. But his luck was about to turn for bad, he climbed over a rise and there in front of him three titans, ranging in size a four, five and eight metre titans were rousing as the sun hit them. Their noses twitching and they immediately locked on him. “Fuck,” he swore, throwing the saddle bag away from him, biting his hand he transformed as they first one ambled to its feet. He hit it that hard with his first punch the head tore from its body and went flying, he grabbed the nape in his teeth and pulled. Flesh severing as the other two latched onto him. The four-metre biting into his leg. He screamed as he kicked out and stomped down, his foot pulverising the titan into pulp. The eight-metre tugged on his arm as he swung around punched it that hard in the stomach it threw up, bile covering them both. Snarling Eren hit it and snapped his teeth around the nape tearing it to pieces. He stood there his wounds already steaming and healing. His eyes scouting the area, seeing no more threats he gathered the small bag, gouging the ground as he did and kept walking. 

It was another four days he travelled, he was back in human form, he had found a forest a massive forest trees humongous, but he couldn’t hold his titan form anymore. He had collapsed, his body shaking the ground as he fell. He had run out of food two days ago and his water yesterday afternoon. His feet dragged he couldn’t even hold the saddle bag anymore. He stopped, swaying on his feet, he un-clipped the bag cover and pulled out Levi’s shirt, wrapping it around his neck he kept moving, dropping the bag. He didn't know which direction he has heading in, he didn't care anymore.   
His body exhausted and his mind beginning to shut down played tricks on him. He could hear a light huff of laughter, “L-e-v-i?” he gasped his tongue heavy in his mouth. He looked up and around, his eyes frantically searching. He heard the huffy laugh again and he stumbled a bit faster, “W-a-i-t,” he called, “L-e-v-i!” he croaked. He didn’t see the tree till he ran head first into it. He mewled softly, as he fell backwards and hit the ground hard. His vision was so blurry as he felt a hot wet trickle run down his forehead. A shadow moved across him, a hand appearing in his view. He closed his eyes and slumped.

******************

“When will he wake?” a male voice asked above him.  
“Should be soon,” a kind sounding female answered. “I will come and get you when he wakes.” The sound of retreating footsteps and a brush of fabric.   
He didn’t know those voices, Eren groaned as he reached up to rub his head his arm feeling like lead.   
“Steady,” said that kind voice again, “You took quite a hit to the head.”   
He opened his eyes and looked into the very light brown almost amber coloured eyes. The woman was fairly heavy set, a well-rounded face, large lips that held a natural smile, black hair tied back into a bun at the base of her neck. “Wh-” he rasped.   
“Here,” the woman said gently, she grabbed a water skin and helped him sit up, placing the skin top against his lips. “Small sips,” she said.   
He all but moaned as the water trickled down his throat. He sipped slowly enjoying the cool water when he pulled his head back. The woman taking the skin away. “My name is Maya.”  
“Eren,” he laid back down his head throbbing. “Where am I?” he asked.   
“Well, that I will leave up to Jhoel to explain, he was the one that found you.” She stood and left, for the first time Eren took in his surroundings. He was is a hut, small but nice, the walls made of timber planking, well three where the fourth wall looked like tree bark or something like that. The roof was thatched, two small windows let the sunlight filter in the small door that was covered by what looked like an animal hide, pushed back and a man walked in. He was average height, weight and size, but his eyes were intelligent and Eren felt like he was staring into Commander Erwins eyes, trying to work out if you were lying on not, only his eyes weren’t blue but a dark brown almost black.  
He watched as the man sat cross legged beside the bed, made out of furs and what felt like a grass mattress on the floor. “My name is Jhoel, Maya says you are Eren?”  
Eren nodded, “Yes,” he tried to sit up his arms wobbly as he pushed himself up almost falling, if it wasn’t for Jhoel who grabbed his forearm and helped him rearrange so he rested his back against the wall behind him. “What village are you from?” Jhoel asked, “I don’t recognise you, from any of the nearby villages and why were you out wandering the forest on your own?”  
“Villages?” Eren shook his head his eyebrows drawn into a frown. “No, I’m from Mitras.”  
Jhoel looked startled. “Impossible, no one can travel that distance, without being killed by a titan.”   
Eren shook his head, “I’m part of the scouts,” he looked at Jhoel, the man nodded, “I got separated from my squad, their all dead,” he didn’t have to fake the sadness, “I am alone,” he whispered.   
Jhoel narrowed his eyes. “what are you intending to do now?”  
Eren shrugged, “The scouts don’t wait for stragglers, if they found the rest of my squad they will probably presume that I had been eaten. And like you said no one can travel back to the wall alive, at least not without the formation of others around you.” Jhoel questioned him for what felt like hours when the man suddenly smiled his eyes warming, “Well, if you don’t have anywhere to go, why don’t you stay here with us?”   
“What?” Eren was startled, his hand going up to his neck rubbing the ache in it. When he froze, the shirt around his neck was gone. He looked around startled, searching for it frantically.   
“What’s wrong,” Jhoel asked.  
“The shirt, where is it?” Eren threw his sheets back and turned in his spot.   
“You mean this one?” Jhoel picked up a shirt at the top of the bed, above where Eren had slept.   
Eren snatched it from the man’s hand and he hugged it to his chest, Levi’s smell still on the fabric. He calmed down before looking up at Jhoel sheepishly, “Sorry.”  
“No harm, no foul,” the man muttered, he raised an eyebrow, “Must below to someone dear, it isn’t your size.”   
Eren nodded, “It’s the only thing I have left on them.”   
Jhoel felt saddened for the young man, he had lost everything, his team, his friends, his home and now he guessed the love of his life from the way looked huddled over the shirt like it was everything. “How about I show you outside.”  
Eren stood and followed Jhoel. He pushed the flap away from the door and exited. His eyes widen they were in a tree house, though he thought he shouldn’t be that surprised, there is only one way to live out here and survive, that was to be higher than the titans could reach. He moved to the edge of the platform that was around the house and he looked down. His eyes widened, they were high, very high up off the ground. The ground swam in front of him, he was used to heights, you didn’t join the scouts and use the 3DMG if you had a fear off heights, but this was insane, they had to be over 100 metres off the ground. They were definitely higher than the walls of Mitras. He stepped back from the fall and he looked around, he was amazed, there was only four other houses, all perched on a large branch that jutted from the sides of the enormous trunks. The back wall being the trunk itself, which explained the funny wall that he woke up seeing. All the houses were connected with vine and wooden plank bridges, swung out over the gaps, or by some very close branches that only planks off wood spanned the gap.   
“This is Maya’s house, she is our village healer, and my sister. That’s my house,” he pointed across to house above them. A woman and a young man which looked in his older teenage were on the platform scrubbing clothes. “My wife, Vivian and son Lyndsay.” He pointed out another two houses that had families and the last house had a single male, belonging to Lanthan. “You will be staying with him. Until we get you your own hut made.”  
“Wh-what?” Eren stuttered. He stared at Jhoel in shook.   
Jhoel grinned, “Everyone gets their own house, you will have to help make your own house, but it will be all yours.”   
Eren opened and closed his mouth like a fish gaping for air for a moment. “Thank you, sir, but what am I expected to do in return,” he asked suspicious.  
Jhoel chuckled, “All that is required is that you help out. Everyone does a bit of everything around here, we all share water duty, cleaning, hunting, cooking. We are a family here, we look after everyone else’s back, you are welcome to join our family for as long as you like.”  
Eren smiled as he sat down, he looked over the small village and he shivered, and he started to cry.   
Jhoel froze, his eyes widened and looked around, like he wasn’t sure what to do with the emotional man.   
Maya appeared out of nowhere and she hugged him to her ample bosom. “What did you say to him?” she hissed at her brother.   
Jhoel stepped back his hands raised. Eren gave a wet chuckle, as he rubbed his sleeve over his eyes. “You, you in one sentence, are happy to give me everything, a home, a family.” He looked up at Maya and over to her brother. “How, why? You don’t even know me, I can understand saving a human, but opening your arms, and letting me in I- I – never seen that before.”   
Maya’s face softened, “Oh honey,” she hugged him tighter, “You know why, because we are human, you are a human. We look after our own. Give it time, when you finished healing, you will be able to decided properly, not when your exhausted like this. She helped him to his feet and took him back inside and to his bed. His head touched the pillow and he was out. 

**************

His shoulders ached in a pleasant way as he pulled hand over hand the rope, he and Lanthan, the young man he used lived with, while his own hut was being finished, stood on the lowest branch that was over the water of the lake. He pored the bucket into the large bucket and it was full, he tapped the top on and with Lanthan’s he pulled it up onto his back with the straps holding it on his shoulders, before helping Lanthan, get his full bucket onto his shoulders. Six times a day they people of the village climbed down in pairs to the lowest branch and hauled water from the lake and then climbed up into the higher branches, it was hard work, but his body used to the strenuous work of the scouts eased into the work of the village. His heart was healing here, three months of peace and the serenity of the forest calmed him, the rage that he felt whenever he thought of home, the ache in the missing of Levi, Mikasa, Armin and the rest of his friends was there but not overpowering like it was before. Lanthan in climbed in front of him. He was a gorgeous man, only a year older than him, shorter than Eren by a head, his eyes blue like the sky, his black hair grown long and held in a ponytail at the base of his neck, but his smile was open, honest, he was such a happy person. But he wasn’t ready, and he told Lanthan so when the man asked. Lanthan dropped it, for now at least. They were both panting when they got to the main water bucket and poured the water into it. Eren nodded to Lanthan and moved off.   
The days blended into one another and time soared past. He stopped sleeping with Levi’s shirt, not that he could smell the scent of the man anymore, his own overpowering Levi’s, but he couldn’t give it up, couldn’t see someone else wearing it, so he stashed it in his house. It was small, modest, a single chamber with a bed, made from leaves and grasses plated to make a cover. Hides over it to make more comfortable and more to be added as the cold of winter set in. A carved wooden pot soaked in bark sap, served as a toilet during the night. But they didn’t spend the entire time up in the trees, whenever they needed to add thatching they had to go to the forest floor, and pull reeds from the edge of the lake. Fruits and mushrooms were collected from the forest floor, and often in search of meat you had to descend as well. But they had sets of ladders, hand and foot holds carved into the trees all over and look outs for whoever was on the ground. Calling when a titan was spotted, far enough out everyone had time to climb to safety.   
Eren had been with the village for over six months, when the familiar blow of the horn carried through the trees. He dropped the mushroom into the pouch on his back and scrambled for the closest tree and started to climb. He had just reached the first branch when the titan came into view followed by three more. They were ugly as usual, two of them a commonly seen in the area, both only around the six-metre mark. The following 2 Eren hadn’t seen before, an eight metre and a ten metre. He watched them and they sniffed the air. When they seemed to lock their eyes ahead. He followed their line of site and he froze. Vivian and Maya, were struggling to climb fast enough. He watched as a voice yelled down from below, “MUM,” it was Lyndsay and he was about to watch his mother and aunt, be eaten. The two women climbed as fast as they could, weighed down by the food on their hips. They were out of reach of the six metres, but the ten metre was closing in fast.   
Eren screamed as he jumped, his teeth finding his hand and chomped down hard.   
Jhoel stood his arms wrapped around his son to stop him from rushing to his mothers’ side, his eyes wide and fear filled as he watched his wife try to climb faster. When he saw Eren leap from his branch, “NO,” he yelled, but it was to late, but the rush of steam flooded the area, and a 15-metre titan stood where Eren had fallen, his roar challenging to the others.   
Eren snarled as he saw the other 10-meter completely ignore him and reach up his fat hand closing in around Maya. The woman screamed as she was pulled from the tree trunk. Eren roared in response, he launched forward, his feet gouging holes into the soft ground of the forest floor. His left Hand closed around the arm, that held Maya, as he turned his body throwing his right forward, grabbing the titan’s shoulder and he heaved, the left arm tore from its body and he lunged in, his teeth cutting through the nape and he tore. He glanced down at a six metre grabbed his leg, he kicked it sending it flying into a tree. Taking a moment, he peeled the fingers back of the hand of Maya, and was relieved to see her unhurt. He tried to smile, even though it was a grimace in his titan form, and he move to pick her up, the woman screamed, and Eren felt his pointed ears fall down flat against his head. He grumbled softly as he picked her up and held her as high as he could against the tree trunk until she had her place secure on the trunk. He watched he start to climb before he turned back to the other titans. He was angry, ‘How dare you,’ he screamed from his place inside the titan. His eyes locked on his enemies. “How dare you try to take another family from me.’ He launched forward again, blows falling quickly on the slow-moving titans. He killed them quickly, vicious, the last 6 metre stomping on its neck till pulverised, they were easy compared to Annie. As the steam from the last titan started to slow down, Eren stood in the space and his shoulders drooped. He had to be moving on again, once more he had to be alone, there was no way that Jhoel and the others would let him stay. Maybe that was his true curse, to be a titan shifter he had to be alone. Maybe that is what drove Annie, Bertolt and Reiner to insanity in the end and attacking the humans that had mocked them so. He resigned himself to his fate and looked up one last time to the village and he caught Jhoels eyes. 

Jhoel watched as the titan seemed to shrink in on itself, standing there amongst the smoking ruins of titan carcasses. Those large green eyes turned up to him fear and sadness stared back. The eyes lowered and the titan turned as if to start walking away. “Is that you Eren?” he called down.   
The titan paused and nodded.  
“Can you get out of that form?”  
The titan nodded again.   
“Can you come back up hear, please don’t leave.”  
Eren was shocked, he was expecting to be called monster and freak, like he had heard so many times from those back in Mitras. He looked up at the branch that held Jhoel and he reached up settling his hand against the tree they were in and arched his head forward exposing his nape. A ripping sound followed and Eren pulled himself free of the titan’s neck, his breathing harsh and red line around his eyes. He climbed the arm and up to them. “I’m sorry,” Eren shuffled as he got up to them.   
“What ever for?” Jhoel asked.  
“I lied to you,” Eren waved his hand down at the dissolving carcass. “I understand if you don’t want me around anymore.” He stood his shoulders curling in on themselves. Gone was the self-assured man they all knew. “I’m sorry I scared you,” he muttered to Maya.  
“Honey,” Maya grabbed Eren and hugged him hard, “I’m sorry I screamed like that, I was caught up in the moment you don’t scare me, I would be dead now if it wasn’t for you.”   
“But I lied, I am a titan shifter.” He pulled away from Maya, not wanting her gentle hands and words if he was to be out on his own once more. He glanced at Jhoel.   
“Why don’t you tell us everything,” Jhoel said standing, “Up there, where everyone can hear.”  
It didn’t take long before everyone was seated around a fire, he talked and talked, telling them everything. How is father being probably the one who did this to him, he can’t even remember what though, his mother dying, his father missing, how he joined the scouts, his love for Levi, his family, Mikasa and Armin, how he had fought and killed all the titans, the experiments run by Hange. It all spilled out of him like word vomit, his chest heaving at the end, his anger strong and a hot fire in his belly, “They got rid of me, like I was TRASH,” his fist hit the floor and he paused, looking sheepishly up at the villagers, his anger leaving him.   
Jhoel looked thoughtful, Maya and the other ladies like they wanted to smother him in hugs. The men nodding, “Well what does everyone say, Eren stays or goes?”   
Eren tensed, his body rigid. “STAYS.” Came the unanimous vote. Eren sagged in relief.  
“I told you Eren, when you first came here, we look after our own, we are family here.” He gave Eren and nod, and everyone agreed. Suddenly Jhoel slapped his hands together and smirked. “I think its time for my crazy plan guys.”   
The villagers all looked thoughtful staring at Eren, all nodding.   
Eren glanced around him at them all feeling left out of the loop.   
Jhoel laughed at his expression. “I’ve had this crazy idea for years, you just might be the one to make it work.”  
Eren swallowed nervously, “Can I know what it is?”  
Everyone laughed, “Well it’s like this………”


	4. HOME

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks Dolta for brining this up.   
> There is no Marley I am completely up to date with the manga. But only S2 of anime. 
> 
> This fic just uses the characters mostly, the plot line is Eren is found to be a titan and joins Levi’s squad and fights with him til his court case and banishment.   
> The village of people is just a group he comes across out in the wilds past the wall.

(5 YEARS LATER)  
Arching his back, he rubbed hard against another tree, making sure his scent was strong over it, his feet rubbing against the bottom as well, to make sure the smaller titans smelt him. He had been with Jhoel and the others for over a year when they all noticed titans appeared less and less, one of the hunters in the village suggested maybe it was him, his presence as a larger alpha predator so to speak lived in the area so the others stayed away. He nearly choked when the hunter said that many animals make their presence known by peeing on trees and shrubs.  
The small fire crackled away as those present chatted away softly with one another.  
Eren was chatting with one of the builders, who was thanking him for his help with the days work thatching, when Eren blushed, “It was nothing really, happy to help.” He laughed as he rubbed his hand over his head.  
When Alton, one of the villager’s hunters yelled across the fire at him. “It’s not nothing Eren, ever since you have come here you have been a massive help to this village.” Around him everyone stopped and listened nodding in agreement. “Haven’t you noticed the lack of Titans in the area lately, I haven’t come across one in over a week now. I believe it all has to do with you.”  
Eren pursed his lips as he looked down into the fire.  
“I was thinking maybe its an alpha predator thing,” Gerald, another hunter added. “When an alpha predator, bigger and more aggressive than the rest of its species, the rest move away or are killed by that alpha.”  
Eren shrugged, “No idea, honest, never stayed in one place long enough to know, everywhere else was behind the walls.”  
“Must be your scent,” Gerald was tapping his cup against his lips, staring into the fire thinking.  
“What are you pissing on every other tree, Eren?” Alton asked, just as Eren was taking a drink. He coughed and choked on the water, “What?” he squeaked.  
“No, can’t be.” Gerald shook his head, “I think it more a rub mark, like bears and skunks do. Rubbing your scent all over trees and shrubs as you move pass them. I wonder the further you wander the more territory you will have so to speak.”  
Everyone looked at Eren, and he nodded, “I can try, how about tomorrow I walk out bit further and see how it goes?”  
Eren huffed in his titan laugh, that was an interesting next morning, Gerald coming with him, telling him how to rub himself up against trees, that was most definitely an interesting day. But it worked, he kept expanding his area of ‘territory’ as long as he remarked his scent trees once a week, it was enough for the titans to sense him and turn away. He had watched as titan approached his tree line, stop seem to sniff the area and then turn around and move off back in the way they came. It was only very rare that the villagers had a titan come into the village area. And usually it was an abnormal, but the system of watchers and look outs called the titans advance before it had any chance to get close to any villagers that might be on the ground. It was easy for him now, all his rage he had, had cooled and he calmed, his mind working more freely inside the titan, what had helped was in his wandering he had a found a desolate small castle, and in it was books, journals of how the titans came about. He brought the journals back and hid them in his house, it gave him a whole new perspective on life, he longer hated the titans if anything he actually felt a bit sorry for them. But he could still kill them, but no longer did he just rely on his brute strength alone, his mind worked and he discovered more and more about his titan form.  
What was best was his home and the people in it, no one cursed him, or called him cruel names, for the most part everyone got along, and best of all no cells, no chains and no restrictions.  
He reached the village that he now called home and stared up, taking a deep breath Eren pulled himself free of his titan, once it was so hard he often needed someone to cut him out. In that moment he though of Levi, before squashing the faint pain and longing he felt. He willed the muscles that attached him to the titan to let go and they just fell from his face arms and legs, it was painless, more or less, and he steadied himself as he moved up the arm to the truck of the tree, and started to climb using the cut hand holds. Below him his old titan form crumbled and disappeared into steam, the body dissolving much faster than it used to, now that he was willing to let the body go.  
He climbed with ease, his breath not even rising to a pant, now at the age of 26 he had finished growing. He was taller, how much he wasn’t really sure but, taller, his shoulders had filled out and muscled up, thanks to all the tree climbing of course. He let his hair grow out and pulled it back in a small bun at the back of his hair, keeping it out of his eyes. Any baby fat he had was all gone, broken into strong lean muscle. He reached the first platform and pulled himself up onto it and looked around the village even after all this time still amazed him. The village when he first got here had only 5 buildings but Jhoel had put his crazy plan into place and they set out to join all the small isolated villages together and form a town, and the crazy idea worked, they now numbered just over 500 people, all spread out high in the sky above the titans, living happy and prosperous lives. They got all they water they wanted from the large lake just on the edge of the village, a large pully system allowing water to be pulled up without ever having to touch foot on the ground. (Beat climbing down and carrying it back up multiple times a day.) More channels some made of wood others carved into the branches carried water all over the village.  
Strung between large branches were crops grown in baskets. The forest itself provided all the fruit and meat they could ever want no matter the season.  
Buildings where scattered, some made on top of the huge branches, like when he first got there, but others built into natural hollows or even carved into the large trees. Some of the smaller girth trees only had one or two dwellings, others like the behemoth he stood on, housed multiple private houses and large communal dwellings. This was the main tree, the landing he stood on was the main gathering hall, now no longer large enough to take the whole village but was still a place where ceremonies like marriages and parties took place. He began to walk, stepping out onto the vine rope and wooden bridge that spanned between the large tree and its neighbour. All the trees were connected either by these bridges or by the branches that grew so close in areas, one could cross from tree to tree and never need a bridge. He waved and smiled greeting villagers as he passed. Not stopping to talk to anyone until he saw Jhoel, the town leader. Everyone had voted and by almost unanimous count, Jhoel was elected. He had joined the villages and he now got it working in one cohesive unit.  
“Eren,” Jhoel, ended his conversation and walked to the Titan shifter. “How did it go out there?”  
“I completed marking the western side of the forest and only 2 titans killed, the rest are staying away as usual, I actually went out of the marking line and got those 2 titans.” Eren smiled.  
“Good, good, our far-out scouts came in last night, the annual bison herd has been spotted, so would you be good for a hunt tomorrow?”  
“Of course,” Eren grinned like a loon, he loved the annual bison hunt. Not only did he get out of the forest for bit, he helped provide food for the village.  
“Right I will get the rest of the hunting party sorted for first thing in the morning, but for now off to sleep with you, thanks your work today Eren,” Jhoel nodded to him and let the young man head off to his house.  
Eren nodded his thanks and kept walking, whilst he wasn’t hit with sheer exhaustion like he did when he first started transforming, he was still tired and was better off resting especially if he held his form for a time, if he had to transform again in close proximity to the first and hadn’t rested he was exhausted after the second. And even with the safety of the village it wasn’t a wise move to be caught exhausted out here in the wild.  
He once just had a small house that rested on a branch, but the villagers all banded together and built his home. They had used an existing hollow and carved it out further inside. He climbed the ladder and entered his front door. It was a beautiful place, the front door opened to a small but spacious living area, that held a small kitchen where he could eat if he wanted, but most meals took place in collectives with other villagers. A large bison fur covered most of the floor, its soft and thick fur. He kicked off his shoes and placed them beside the door, and stepped onto the hide and towards his bedroom. The same size as his living room, it had a window that over looked the forest, but he stepped forward and closed it, the light dimmed as he stripped and fell onto his bed. It was a raised platform on the floor, built out of wood, there was no mattress like he had back in his old life, but instead, hides of animals stitched together and stuffed with grasses and other soft materials. Another bison hide served as his blanket. He fell onto the bed and went to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so next chapter is done.  
> Thank you to Technoqueen113 and Mysteriousoshadow for your reviews.
> 
> I have almost all of the next chapter done so it should be up in 2 or so days.


	5. Hunters

Yawing he stretched and rose, the sun hadn’t even started to make a new day known, but he was excited. News yesterday of the bison hunt had him up and rearing to go. He had just pulled on his boots when a knock on his door came.  
Opening the door on the other side was Lathan. He smiled, but it was slightly awkward from his end. They had dated for a while, never going any further than kissing, but he just couldn’t take it any further, the man pushed him, wanting more and more and got so possessive. Not liking it when he talked to other men, accusing him of cheating on him. So, he called it off, but Lanthan still hung around him, hoping they would get back together again. He would tell the shorter man off, and tell him to leave him alone if it wasn’t for the fact that Lanthan led the hunting parties, the best with bow and arrow in the village. He could say something to Jhoel, but he didn’t want Lanthan to lose his spot on the hunting team, so he said nothing, it wasn’t like he couldn’t handle the man.  
“Ready Eren?” Lanthan asked.  
He nodded and shut his front door. They moved quickly through the maze of ladders and branches till they reached the main tree. The three other hunters waited, Alton like Lanthan always joined, Lyndsay and another young man, Jeffery, swapped out with other men. Eren could only carry so many at once so the hunters of the village took turns.  
“Everyone ready?” he asked.  
“Yep,” the men all responded.  
Laughing Eren jumped, biting his hand and transforming as he went down. He excelled at this now. Once he would never have even dreamed at jumping from such a height, now it was so easy, his knees bent as he landed, his bones light and landed, before standing up straight. Watching as the men used vines descend down to him. They landed on his shoulders and he waited as they plaited each a section of his hair, wrapping leather straps into it as they went. One strap held the packs, as the other was connected to the belts of the men. As they stepped into strips to hold on. Alton was the one to come up with the idea very quickly when they practised with them in the beginning, sick of being thrown around like a rag doll trying not to fall off. Instead they stood in the stirrups, when he ran, his hair might flick them around but never did one of them fall off his shoulders again. Alton and Lanthan came very good and began to be able to shoot arrows into targets even at full flight, so used to the way he moved now.  
“Alright big guy,” Lanthan pated his cheek. “All strapped in and down, let’s go.”  
Eren wiggled his ears slightly, still nearly knocking Jeffery. “Hey, watch your ears your big oaf,” Jeffery laughed as he swatted the tip of the ear.  
Eren lifted his fingers and signed, Sorry.  
Since he couldn’t speak in this form, they made a series of movements with his fingers, so that he could respond promptly and quickly, without a game of work out Eren’s gestures needing to happen. As fun as it was, it just wasn’t practical. The sign language worked well, and they started with anyone who worked alongside Eren frequently in his titan form. And then eventually the rest of the village learned, and not for the first time he wonders why the scouts never thought of something similar.  
“It’s okay Eren,” Jeffery laughed, “Come on let’s go hunt some bison.”  
Eren huffed laughed as the men on his shoulders yelled and he set off at a jog. The men, two on each shoulder, chatted away to each other. They all knew better than try to add Eren into the conversation especially when he was jogging or running. Though when he was running all the could do was hold on for dear life most of the time. His ears flicked in different directions, listening for any tell tale sign of movement in the trees. His eyes constantly on the move to. At his steady jog it only took him half the day when he finally cleared the trees, the sun high above them. His gaze wanders the open plains as he turns and looks north, towards where Mitras would be, he snorts and marches in the opposite direction, heading straight for the large area of trampled grass. He crouched down, he was better at tracking now, but his titan eyes had trouble discerning small patterns like the one in front of him.  
Lanthan tapped him on his cheek and he turned head slightly to look at him. “That way,” he points South West. Standing Eren follows the well-trodden path the bison left. It doesn’t take long before they find the herd. Even though he had seen it for the last five years, it was amazing, the number of animals that covered the plain from horizon to horizon was insane. The grunts and bellows of the animals almost deafening as they moved forward grazing at the grass as they moved, taking lush tall grass down to the ground. They were big bulky beasts, like cattle he saw back in the farm lands of Mitras but at the same time not. Brown and black covered their huge bodies. The hide making excellent covers for winter. The meat when salted and smoked, helped see the village through winter. He glanced at the men, his fingers moving, You ready?  
They all nodded as they drew their bows back checking the strings were still good. He looked down at his own fingers and he willed them to harden. It had taken time, but he learned the skill that Annie had used so easily. He remembered Hange telling him one day about the genetic makeup of the human body and how she believed it was the carbon that Annie had used to harden and make a shield with. At the time he didn’t care and all he wanted was sleep, but with the time in the forest be began to experiment, and he found it, he willed his skin to harden and it did, his fingers grew hard crystal, covering from his second knuckle down, till it formed a sharpened point. He growled and he ran forward. The bison bellowed at his approach and ran. He roared as he speared one, taking it straight through the head, with on finger. Shaking his hand, he flicked it off, as arrows flew past his head, taking down three animals, two of the men aiming for the same beast. They moved quickly and efficiently, making sure an animal was dead before going for the next. Finally, Lanthan called a halt, as they chased the herd. They turned around and 18 carcasses scattered across the field. Eren took them back to the closest kill and the men untangled themselves from the harnesses and their packs and jumped down into his hands and he placed them on the ground. Most of the kills belonged to him, as he walked around gathering them and placing them back at the men. But this is where the fellow hunters came in handy, whilst they gutted and skinned the bison. He stood on guard watching and listening for titans that might be hanging around and chasing off, local wildlife. Often wolves were seen in the area whenever they hunted on the plains. He helped the men unroll the large sheets that they had stashed away in the packs as they dropped the guts onto two and the other two rolled hides placed on it. With his help they gather the four corners of the sheets, and holding them in the air together the men trying the ends up forming a large knot that left a loop in the material he could push a finger through so he could carry the bags.  
They were just tying the last bag off, the sun was starting its descent down below the trees when his ears flickered, and he pulled up from his crouch his ears moving back and forth his head turning to the north.  
“What is it Eren?” Lanthan asked.  
He held his hand up for silence and then he heard it, screaming very faint but there. He motions the signal for attack, and the men all dropped what they were doing and climbed onto his hand and he put them up to his shoulders, quickly they strapped themselves in as he started to move towards the screaming. The moment he was given the all clear that his riders where strapped in he started to run, his heavy footsteps thudding into the ground, it didn’t take him long to cover the area between him and the hill that hid his view from the screams, as he cleared the rise, he saw them. A large group of humans, clothed in black and silver with black capes billowing behind them pushed their horses as fast as they could go, as a horde of titans kept of their trail, he watched as one swiped their large hand down crushing the human under its large fist, blood squirting everywhere.  
He let out a huge scream and tore towards the group, his eyes fixated on the titans. He let his fingers grow hard, and sharp, coating in a hard substance. He hit the first, his finger gouging out the neck, already turning for his next prey, before the first had even hit the ground he knew it was dead. He tore through the titans one after the other, as the humans rode past him. The hunting party on his shoulders, shot arrows into the eyes of the titans around him, blinding them making it even easier for him to finish them off one by one. He screamed as he bit into the neck of a 13-meter class and started to tear, when Lanthan yelled one was coming up from behind. When he felt the bite of something in his shoulder and turned in time to see a blur flying through the air, and taking down the last titan, swords cutting through the neck with ease. The blur landed on the ground and Eren froze, ‘LEVI,’ his mind whispered.


	6. Reacquainting

Levi swore as he pushed his horse even faster the poor thing was already doing its best, but they had no chance stopping and taking on the 12 titans that followed them, not to mention they already had injured and dead. He glanced across at the wagon beside him. Sasha held on tight against the bumps her face ash white with pain, her leg broken, but they had no time to stop and set it. Beside her Connie, had blood running from a cut on his head, his eyes lost and vacant. Levi hoped it wasn’t a bad head injury turning the already stupid boy into a blithering idiot. But he turned his eyes back onto the path ahead, there was only maybe half a kilometre between them and the forest that loomed ahead, if they could get there and away from this open field they had a chance to get out of this shit-fuck situation. He winced internally as he heard the wet squish of another scout being killed behind him.   
“KEEP MOVING,” Erwin yelled from the front, “THE TREES ARE ONLY JUST THERE.”  
When a loud scream cut over them, Levi felt his heart thump wildly in his chest. He knew that scream, he looked up wildly and there he was, Eren in full titan form, sprinting towards them. He actually felt a small grin tug at his mouth, they had a chance. He watched as Eren came towards them, his titan form was if anything slightly more muscled than before, shoulders maybe a touch wider, his eyes were locked on his targets, not even glancing at the riders, he hit the first Titan that hard, his fingers just tore through the nape, killing it instantly. Levi narrowed his eyes, Eren had obviously figured out his hardening ability, from the claws that sprung from the end of his fingers. He fought stronger and better, more graceful, clearly using more thought than using just brute strength only. That’s when he noticed the men on the shoulders, they shot arrows into the eyes of the titans blinding them, given Eren even more opportunities to kill the giants. Eren was tearing into a titan as another moved up behind him. Suddenly Levi moved, he knew Eren wouldn’t turn around in time, his nape vulnerable, he turned his horse as he kicked free of the stirrups and stood up on the saddle, he shot his grapples out in a move so familiar yet not used in 5 years, his hooks imbedded into Eren’s shoulder, up he flew through the air, sweeping up into an arc and down spinning as he sliced threw the nape. He landed on the ground and looked up, he had killed the last titan, but it was Eren’s eyes that froze him in his step. Those green green eyes stared down at him in shock. They just stared at one another, until a loud whinny as Erwin pulled his horse up beside him, breaking Levi out of his trance.   
Eren shivered as he looked away from Levi. Lanthan was patting his cheek, “Hey you right big guy?” His eyes turned and saw his hunting party all staring at him, or down at the other humans. He nodded that he was okay to Lanthan.   
“EREN,” A high pitch squeal, breaking the mood, he looked down to see Hange running over to him, their hands high waving in the sky. “EREN, YOU BIG LOVELY HUNK OF TITAN, YOU’RE STILL ALIVE,” they screamed shrilly, as they did a little dance.   
Another set of voices clambered for his attention, Mikasa and Armin, Eren’s legs went out from underneath him and he knelt down, the men on his shoulders letting out startled yells as they clutched to the titans hair, Eren ignored them as his fingers reached forward, he saw they were still hardened and he paused, and pulled the hardened material back and away from his fingers and ever so gently brushed Armin and Mikasa. Oh, how they had changed over the years apart, but yet still the same. They hugged the finger hard, “Can you come out?” Armin yelled up at him.   
Eren paused, but looked around, his eyes flicking over Erwin and Levi who stood together. He shook his head and took his hand back from them. He reached up to Lanthan and the others and motioned for them to jump down. The men slipped the knots that held them to his hair and jumped into his outstretched hand. Eren placed them on the ground gentle and began to move his fingers.   
“No, it’s too dangerous, need to stay in titan form,” one of the men translated for him.   
Hange started to bounce on the spot, and Eren shook his finger in front of her. But the mad scientist only seemed to grow more joyous as they hugged his finger. He let out a huff as he drew his finger back, lifting Hange a few feet off the ground before they let go.   
Lathan was all but spitting angry at that time. “So, these are the bastards that used you, used your titan form, letting you fight for them, then kicked you out when they were done with you?” he felt a sick pride when most of them around him flinched.   
Eren shook his head, he saw the movement, but his eyes on Levi, who stood towards to back of the group that was crowding around, the man not even looking at him. He was sad, and he looked back down at them and his fingers moved, “No, these are my friends,” one of the hunters read out for him. “We need to get back to the village,” he motioned to the sky it was beginning to pass into the edge of day into night, there was only a few hours of sunlight left. “New plan, I will carry the meat back to village once we get to the marking line, then I will come back for you.” He motioned for the Jeffery who translated for him to hop up, Lanthan jumped on his hand as well. “Eren what the hell are you doing? You don’t owe them a single thing,” Lanthan all but yelled.   
Erwin tensed, his gaze curious as he watched Eren in titan form glance down at the man on his palm. He quickly scanned the surrounding hills looking for incoming titans. As much as he hated to admit it, they needed Eren right this second. He glanced then at Levi, but the man was stone faced as ever wasn’t even looking at Eren, just scanning the country side as well. It was up to him, he cleared his throat ready to yell when Eren grunted and shook his head. Erwin watched as the large hand not being used pointed at the wagons full of injured soldiers. He felt a sigh of relief. Eren he knew back at the walls would never leave an injured person, but this was not the Eren he knew, 5 years had passed, who knew how much the young man had changed, but so far he didn’t seem to much different.   
Eren grunted as he pointed to the wounded, ‘they need help,’ he signed one handed. It was awkward but still got his message across. ‘Back to meat, the village, will sort it all out later,” he pointed to the sky, it was growing darker, “we need to move,’ he moved Lanthan and Jeffery up to his shoulder and when they jumped off he gathered the rest of the hunters and placed them on his shoulders to. One last glance at the scouts he began to walk, the black clad men and women falling into a group behind him.   
A hand touched his cheek, “Are you okay Eren?” Jeffery asked.   
Eren grumbled and his ears flickered, before pinning hard against his head. No, he wasn’t okay. Five years, five whole long years, he had come to the belief that he would never see his old family again. Never hug Mikasa or Armin, never laugh and mess around with Connie or tease Jean, and most of all never hold Levi again. But those eyes, once holding so much affection, didn’t even glance his way. That small ray of joy, dampened, if his titan from could cry, streams would be running down his face. But in his time out here, with his new family he came to realise how much the scouts had just used him. He could never hate Armin or Mikasa, they were more family to him then anyone could ever be. But the leaders, Hange, all those experiments, not really caring if they hurt him or not, oh they said they were sorry and all that, but his new family did everything to make sure he didn’t hurt, and if he did Maya always patched him up, not just throwing him the bandages and letting him take care of his own wounds. Erwin, this time he allowed himself a little growl, Jeffery and the others looked at him with concern, he calmed down, Erwin, he just realised how bad a leader he was compared to Jhoel. Jhoel was fair and considerate, but he did what he needed to keep the village going, if he stepped on a few toes or fingers he did so if needed, but he didn’t throw people to the wolves, or titans, and expect sheer loyalty. They had brain washed him and everyone else stupid enough to join the scouts. Then there was Levi, he had stewed so long over his lover and what he had done to him. Locked endless nights one after another, alone in cold cell in dungeons. His early days of impartial care, not considerate in Eren’s feelings or wants. But he huffed to himself. He had fallen in love with him. Days, weeks and months endlessly in his presence, he had worn the veteran down and he opened up to him. Sharing meals, tasks and eventually a bed, no more cells.   
Lost in his thoughts of a time gone by, he led the ramshackle group back to the carcasses, shooing away the crows and hawks that had gathered around the large bags. He flicked his fingers in the sign for dismount for just one side. Alton and Lyndsay climbed down. ‘Stay with them,’ his fingers moved. The two men nodded and helped him gather the carcasses piling them in his arms, his fingers threading through the bags, he lifted the heavy load easily.   
They marched in silence Eren up front leading the way, back to the forest, the cool air of the trees helped calm him more, and as he got closer to the line of scent marking he used to mark his territory he was no longer angry, confused still, but not angry. He turned and looked at Lyndsay and Alton, who nodded and Eren picked up his pace and began to jog, his strides taking him from the group quickly.   
Erwin kicked his horse for it to go faster, but one of the hunters called him to stop. “It’s okay, we are safe now, we’ve past the territory line. Almost no titans come past it.”  
Erwin frowned, “Where did Eren go?”  
Jeffery smiled, “Just dropping of the meat to the village, he will come back, we are to slow, he needed to get the meat back to the villagers, where they are waiting to cure it, start tanning the hides and cleaning the offal. It all helps for our winter supplies.”  
“How do you survive out here?” Erwin asked. “No one thought humans could make it out here?”  
“And what’s this territory line?” Levi asked.  
Alton grinned and spoke, “These old trees,” he waved his arm around, “These are the reason. Without them we wouldn’t have. We used to live in small villagers, just a handful of people, scrapping by living off the forest. Then all the sudden Eren appeared, he moved into our current headman’s village, with Eren we formed a large village, a town in the tree tops. He protects us, and we are grateful for all he does for us. The territory line is a circle that runs around the village, we worked out a while ago the titans don’t like Eren’s titan form and they stay away from him. He leaves scent marks all over the place, and the titans for the most part never cross it. If anything, they seem to do their best to avoid the area.” The older man stared at Erwin carefully. “Are you the commander of the scouts that he used to tell us about?”  
“I am,” Erwin nodded, his eyes narrowing, “What did he tell you about us?”  
Alton shrugged. “His life, how he grew up, how his mother was killed in front of him, the way the city sent all those people to their deaths, joining the scouts, discovering he was a shifter,” his eyes narrowed, “How he was used by the scouts.”  
“We did what we needed to survive.” Erwin stated loudly and clearly.   
“No, you used and abused an emotional tormented teenager,” Alton shook his head. “I am glad your King banished Eren, it was hard seeing him grow up here, confused and not sure what to do, but we gave him true freedom to choose, we don’t force him to kill titans, we don’t force him to take watches, we don’t force him to walk the dangerous path of scent marking to keep us safe, he does it because he wants to.”  
“He wanted to kill titans and join the scouts,” Levi stated, his horse moving up beside the wagon, the two hunters sat in.   
Lyndsay nodded, “Of course he did and whilst he was a regular every day human, you all treated him as human. But what about when he turned into a titan? One lot tried to kill him and his friends, chained then imprisoned. His choices? join the scouts or become a science experiment and the death. Not much of a choice as I see.”   
Erwin pursed his lips, “He didn’t leave much out did he.” He said more a statement than a question. He glanced in Levi’s direction.   
Lyndsay laughed, “Oh he told us about you too Captain Levi Ackerman, humanities greatest solider, oh and with a sheer amount of blushing on his part, one great lover,” Lyndsay laughed louder as the scouts all hid grins as Levi scowled.   
“That young man with black hair, he and Eren seem close.” Hange added snidely, from beside Levi. Who glared at her so hard, she actually grinned and backed her horse off hands in the air.   
Alton frowned, “Lanthan,” he replied. “Not sure what’s actually going on there. They were dating there for a while then it seemed over, but Lanthan is always around Eren, and he never seems to be to annoyed by it. But I am not sure if it is just because they are friends or more and they are just hiding it from everyone else.” He shrugged, “not my problem,” he added.  
Hange started asking her questions, one after another, some the pair answered quiet happily, others they shook their heads, saying that they would leave that one to either their headman or Eren to decide to answer. They travelled for a bit further, till they reached a decent clearing, and Alton halted the group saying this would be a good spot to camp for the night. Erwin nodded and the scouts dismounted and began to prepare the camp, hammocks hung in the trees, fires set up on the ground. The smell of cooking meat filled the air. 

****  
Eren steadied as he reached the outskirts of the village, a wail of a horn called his approach as he came through the trees. He nodded to the sentry as he passed. His huge strides took him quickly into the village, where the last few stragglers where still climbing down the ladders or using the lift, when he began to deposit the bison onto the ground. The women of the group fell onto the hides and the offal bags, pulling them open and set to work separating the organs and using large tubs to clean them. Others pulled the wet hides apart and began the process of stretching them over the frames to tan them. Males of the village hit the carcasses, knives rising up and down as they carved the beasts up. Children carrying the slabs of meat, over to the smoking and salting pits.   
“Eren,” Jhoel called out, “Where is Lyndsay?” the man was wide eyed and panicky as he spotted only Lanthan and Alton.   
Jeffery undid his straps holding him in place and climbed down from Eren’s shoulder where he still knelt. “He’s fine, we had a bit of trouble out in the fields. We came across a group of scouts.” He quickly told Jhoel what happened and how Eren wanted them brought back here, explaining the injured. Jhoel nodded, “are you okay Eren?” he asked.   
Eren turned his head down, his eyes away from Jhoel, he shrugged.   
“They can’t do anything to you,” Jhoel placed his hand on Eren’s knee. “They can’t take you, they can’t do anything you don’t want, remember that.” He pulled back, “I take it you will return to them tonight, and we will see you in the morning?”   
Eren nodded, when Maya appeared Jhoel’s side. “Where’s Lyndsay?” she asked calmer than Jhoel had.   
Jeffery sighed and he explained a little more quickly than he had to Jhoel. Suddenly the woman straightened, her medical bag already at hand in case any of the hunting party came back injured. “I’m coming with you?” she stated, “If there are injured, I want to see them straight away.”  
Eren looked at Jhoel, who shrugged, no one got in Maya’s way when she was like this. Eren held his hand out and Maya stepped into it, before sitting down, Eren waited till she was settled before he started moving. She had no support gear, nothing to hold her in place on his shoulder, so he kept her in his hand as he pushed himself up to his feet, turning and moving back into the forest.  
Maya started to laugh, a joyous happy sound. “This is amazing,” she squealed.   
Eren huffed in return, oh how he loved Maya. A middle-aged woman, an absolute fierce lady that you would never cross, squealed like a child whenever something made her happy. “No wonder everyone fights to go with you Eren,” she yelled up at him. Eren grinned his ears flapping, causing Lanthan to curse him, which set everyone off laughing again.   
It didn’t take him long to find the scouts camp, he stopped before he reached the edge of camp and placed Maya and Lanthan on the ground. Steam billowed around him as he pulled himself wearily from his titan and stumbled down to Maya and Lanthan. Maya grabbed his arm and placed it over her shoulder and helped support his weight, glaring Lanthan off from taking him from her, she liked Lanthan but found his behaviour over Eren wasn’t good. The scouts all stood armed and ready to fight at the steam that was billowing from behind them, but they relaxed when they saw it was Eren and company. Maya moved them to the first available wagon and laid Eren down inside it, using an available pack as a pillow and grabbed the closet blanket.   
“Sleep Eren, you have held the titan form for to long,” she covered him with the blanket, Eren’s eyes already closing as he set his head on the pack and he was fast asleep. “Right,” she snapped as she stood up tall. “Where are your injured?”  
“Who are you first?” a tall blonde haired, blued eyed man came over to her.   
“My name is Maya, and I am the village head healer. Now show me your wounded.” She stared at the man who seemed to analyse her before he nodded. “Jean,” he ordered.   
A tall lanky youth appeared at his side. “Sir,” the young man snapped a strange salute to his chest.   
“Take Maya to the injured see she gets all that she needs.” Erwin ordered.   
“Yes, Sir,” Jean motioned for her to follow him.   
“Lanthan,” May called back to the young man where he was next to Eren, “Come on, he’s not going to sleep walk away.”  
“Oh, come on Maya,” Lanthan whined even as he stood, “I need sleep to, I have been awake as long as Eren.”  
“Maybe, but you haven’t been transformed for over 14 hours, nor did you fight and kill titans, nor did you carry a whole kill back to village.”  
Lanthan grumbled but moved over to her and Jean.   
Jean led them to the first of the men and women that were laid out on the ground, “These are our worst injured ma’am,” Jean said his eyes worried as he looked over his comrades.   
“I will need bandages, warm water, do you have any herbs or medicines.” Jean nodded as he rushed off to find the medical packs. “Lanthan, go and get some sticks that will be suitable as temporary splints.” Lanthan nodded and moved off into the trees.   
She knelt at the first man in line, “Hello solider, my name is Maya, I am going to help you.” The ash white face of someone to young to be fighting like they were nodded. “What’s your name?” she asked gently, she pulled back the blanket covering him, a large gash and a broken arm, she set about cleaning the wound, Jean fetching clean buckets of water for her as needed. Lanthan returning just as she finished bandaging the wound. With the two young men’s help she finished straightening the arm, setting it with a branch that Lanthan had stripped of all small twigs. Thankfully the man had passed out from the pain.   
“I would like to thank you ma’am,” Jean said as he brought back another clean pail of water. “They might not be able to right now, but thankyou for helping them.” He stood to the side watching with caring eyes as she finished patching up another set of large bleeding wounds. The front of her apron and dress splattered with blood and vomit, after one solider had vomited over her from the pain.   
“It’s my calling,” she smiled as she looked over the heavily injured she only had four left. She stood and moved to the next one. “I have always wanted to help people,” she settled down as she looked at the next man, but he was gone. She sighed sadly, and didn’t need to raise the blanket to see what was wrong, his entire bottoms of his legs were missing. He would have died of blood loss. She gathered the blanket and pulled it up over his head covering him completely. She glanced up at Jean and the young man looked sad.  
“Why?” she asked, “Why do young people volunteer to join the scouts? Why do you put yourselves through such pain and danger?” As she moved onto the next man.   
Jean shrugged, “At the start I never wanted to join the scouts, I was going to join the Military Police or the Garrison. I never wanted to join the scouts and fight and kill titans, it was just plain suicide.” He snorted and shook his head, “That idiot of a Geager changed my mind. Eren is a fool a suicidal idiot, I called him more than once, but I choose to follow him and many others did as well till we formed the 109th. Most of us are still alive but we also lost many along the way.” He looked over to where Eren was sleeping. “He looks happy.” He looked back down at Maya, “You know he never settled when he slept, always muttering in his sleep, his body twitching like he could never settle.”  
“Yes,” Maya nodded as she set a broken leg on a young lady, “He was like that when he first came to us, took him a long time to calm. He never opened up about what he dreamed.”  
“He dreamed of death,” a small black-haired lady and a blonde moved over, “He dreamed of people that died during the day fighting titans and how he could have been better, faster, how he could have saved them, always blaming himself that he was never good enough.” Maya raised her eyebrow.   
“This is Mikasa,” the blonde answered, “I’m Armin.”  
“Sasha,” the woman she was working on grinned.  
“Connie,” the bald man next in line moaned as he clutched his head.  
Maya quickly tied off the bandage and moved to Connie. She began to examine the head wound. “So, you’re the famous 109th. It’s nice to finally meet you all.” She frowned as she looked into Connie’s eyes. “Follow my finger,” she moved her hand slowly back and forth in front of Connie’s face. His eyes following her finger steadily. She smiled and nodded, “You’ll be fine, but you are going to have the hell of a headache for a few days.” She finished cleaning and bandaging his head.   
Armin sat down next to Connie, as Jean went to get more clean water. Maya looking over to Lanthan who had passed out a few hours ago sleeping propped against a tree he sat next to. She let him sleep. Jean was a good helper, and Lanthan did have a big day. She lifted the blanket of the next man who was unconscious, she sighed and shook her head, she placed the blanket back down. “If he wakes, give him this to chew on,” she pulled some herbs out of her pack, and placed them beside the man. I doubt he will wake, nor will he see the night through. His pelvis is crushed his organs as well I would say.” She stood her face sad as she looked around at the faces of the young people. “I don’t think I will ever understand your city,” she moved to the bucket and washed her hands, the crushed pelvis the last of the major wounded. “You have giant walls to hide behind, and yet still your leaders expect so many of its youngsters to leave those walls, and end up dying for what?”   
“Freedom,” Armin said, his voice firm and eyes even stronger. “Eren believed in it to, freedom for all of humanity. That’s why we fight, that’s why we die. We are up against a massive enemy in every way. Titans out size us, even the smallest class are hard to kill, but each one we do gets us closer to our goal. Human freedom. I longed from the youngest of ages to see the ocean, mountains, forests, the ice fields that are talked of in books, I want everyone to have the choice of being able to see those things for themselves. But the titans keep that from us, so I choose to fight and kill, and more than likely die in the attempt.”  
The others all nodded with him. Maya just shook her head. “I need to see to the rest of the group, can you lot keep and eye on these,” she indicated to the injured, “Call for me if any of them need help, I don’t care if I am asleep, wake me.” The 109th nodded and settled down around the injured chatting quietly amongst themselves.   
Slowly she sifted through the group, asking if anyone needed anything looked at, most had small cuts and abrasions, and had already tended to themselves. Finally, she walked over to the fire when the leaders gathered around. She sat with a huff and made herself comfortable. “You have one dead already, another man will die tonight, his pelvis is crushed I can do nothing for him. Multiple with broken arms and legs, all temporary set, but will need to be set properly soon.” She stated as she settled her basket next to her on the floor, it was almost empty, thankfully she had the medical kits of the scouts or she would have been in trouble.   
The blonde man nodded, “Thank you for seeing to them, I am sorry I didn’t make proper introductions before. I am Erwin Smith, commander of the scouts. This is Hange, Levi and Mike.” He pointed at all those around the fire, she smiled and nodded at each one as they were introduced. Mike the man sitting around from her, had a long tear in his shirt and blood staining it. She stands and moves to him. “You should have asked me to see to this before when I was walking around, I know you heard me.” She pulled at his shirt, pulling at it so it revealed his shoulder.   
“It’s fine,” Mike muttered as he opened a few buttons to stop the shirt from choking him, “I have already seen to it.”  
“Ah-ha,” Maya muttered sarcastically as she took in the hastily torn cloth that was tied around his bicep. She removed the cloth and tossed it on the ground. And began to quickly wipe the wound down and redress it with clean bandage.   
Mike glanced down at the woman as she worked, his eyes going straight down the front of her dress and to the ample bust, that was occasionally rubbing against his arm. He blushed, his face going red as he looked away and into the fire.   
“Oh, are you getting a fever?” Maya asked as she noticed the tint in his cheeks and she stood, her hands resting against his cheeks and then forehead, she bust very close to his face. He actually spluttered as bit shaking his head, by now Hange was sniggering loudly and even Erwin was pursing his lips to not smile, Levi, well was Levi and looked bored. “No, I’m fine,” he muttered, “Just to close to the fire,” he stood carefully, making sure to not knock Maya over and moved further back from the flames, “Thanks for the arm,” he pulled his shirt back up and buttoned it up. Maya just grinned and sat down next to Hange.  
“I know what you were doing there,” Hange leant over. “Oh, and he is single.” Maya grinned with the person as they wiggled their eyebrows up and down.   
****  
Eren yawned as he stretched and sat up. He knew he hadn’t been asleep for long as he stood up stretching, but it was enough to refresh him.   
“EREN,” a voice cried out, splitting the camp, a body thudded into Eren nearly toppling him. He just laughed as he hugged Mikasa back, Armin following behind her, threw his arms around them both. Now that he was back to human size, he compared their heights. Armin was still short, enough that Eren could actually rest his chin against the top of his head, Mikasa was only a touch shorter than him maybe a centimetre or two. He laughed as they shared a three-way hug, before pulling back. “How have you been?” What have you been doing all these years? Got anyone special in your life? Still reading Armin? What’s with the new uniforms?”  
Armin laughed as Mikasa placed a hand over his mouth stilling his questions, “One at a time, please Eren.”  
“You can all catch up later,” Erwin snapped as walked over to the wagon, “We need to talk.”   
Eren didn’t even pay any attention to the man, straight out ignoring him as he watched Armin.  
“EREN,” Erwin snapped.   
Eren turned on him, “Don’t use that tone with me,” he sneered, “I am no longer yours to command.”   
“It was not my choice to see you banished, Eren.” Erwin stated casually.   
“No, but you damn didn’t do anything to stop them, didn’t stand up for me in that court room. Never once did you try to stop that farce of a trial. Not trying to stop of the order for my death or banishment. What if they hadn’t given me that choice, would you have marched alongside me all the way to the executioners block?” Eren huffed, “I am glad I was banished, I got away from you and that shit stained city along with all the back-stabbing bastards that run it.” He turned back to Armin and Mikasa, but their faces were long and drawn. “What is it?”   
“Please just listen to the commander Eren,” Armin said softly.   
“Fine,” Eren huffed as he turned around and nodded, he followed Erwin back to a fire, where Maya and Lanthan sat. He plopped down onto the ground next to Maya, Armin and Mikasa sitting down next to him. He raised his eyebrow to Erwin and motioned for him to join them, Erwin sat down along with Mike and Hange, Levi standing back away from the group. ‘Fine’ he thought, ‘If Levi was going to ignore him he would play the same game and ignore Levi back.’   
“The first years following your banishment, were like normal. But last year it started to go bad. The crops failed, if the farmers could get a crop growing the locusts, would destroy them, anything that was able to be grown was small and didn’t grow right. This year was even worse the crops all but failed completely, then the titans started to attack the wall again in numbers. We had some even manage to start to climb the Wall Maria. We were lucky, they only came in ones or twos. The scouts and wall garrison were able to kill them and keep them from breaching the walls.   
“The large band of animals, you call Bison were spotted, passing near the wall, the King sent word the scouts were to go out and kill as many as possible and bring back to the city for food. I was also given this,” Erwin reached into his pocket and removed a scroll. “If you were found, you have formally invited back into the city. All previous crimes are to be forgotten and expunged. Your banishment has been lifted, with the one requirement of returning to the scouts and continuing to serve for the good of humanity.”   
Everyone fell silent as they looked at Eren, waiting for his response, the man had his head down, his hair covering his face. His shoulders began to shake and soft laughs came from him. Erwin began to relax until Eren looked up, his eyes blazed, there was a raging fire burning in them.   
Eren fumed, his rage bubbled inside of him, he actually snarled and everyone around him froze at the dangerous sound, his eyes flashed up and met Erwin’s, his laughter stopped and he growled, “You have got to fucking kidding me. Tell your King” he spat the word, “he can go fuck himself, I will never return to that hell hole of a city.” He stood his whole body shaking in repressed anger. “He used me, that city used me, the scouts used me, you used me,” he pointed at Erwin, “all I wanted to do was fight and kill Titans, saving all your sorry arses. And I did it happily, taking all the scorn, name calling and restrictions that came with it including being locked in a cell at night. But then when I was no longer needed, you all tossed me to the curb, hoping I would die out here.” He sneered, “I am free Commander Erwin Smith, you and nobody else can force me back there,” his eyes narrowed, “You can shove that declaration up your arse for all I care, and don’t even think of trying to force me back. Try and you will regret ever leaving those walls.” He turned and stormed over to the nearest tree, his fingers forming hard tips and he slammed them into the trunk gouging in holes as he began to climb, he kept going up and up, passed the lower branches and high into the canopy, till even the fire was just a pin prick below him. As pissed as he was with Erwin, he couldn’t leave them unprotected.   
Finally, he stopped and tears, burst from his eyes, fat drops rolled down his cheeks, he gave them everything and they took everything from him, even Levi after all those years hardly looked at him. He had told Levi to move on, and it seems he had. 

Levi watched as Eren snarled at the Commander, inside he cheered and laughed as he told Erwin where he could shove his offer. But his face was cold and distant. His Eren had grown into a fine specimen. He mentally flinched, he wasn’t his anymore his looked over at Lanthan.   
The man was smug as he stood. “What made you think, he would take you up on that offer,” he tilted his head to the side and Levi wanted nothing more than to punch the stupid smirk off his face. “We are free out here, no dumb hierarchy, no stupid rules, no stupid punishments. We are free to pursue what we want and when we want. We are all equals, and I can say for my entire village, we are all grateful that day Eren came to us. Grateful of his protection and everything else he gives to our village. We don’t fear him, we don’t use him. He gives to us and we give back in return. What did you ever give him, apart from experiments,” his eyes flickered to Hange, “fear and lies,” he glanced at Erwin, and finally he glanced at Levi, “chains.”  
He paused for a moment looking up to where Eren was hiding. “Don’t leave the camp, Eren and I will be above you. Don’t wander its easy to get lost in this forest.” He left the scouts and moved to the tree. Using the gouge marks Eren had make to climb up, everyone silent below him. 

“Well seems like he knows all about Eren’s past,” Levi muttered. He stood, and moved away from the fire.   
“Where are you going Levi,” Erwin called.   
Levi just looked over his shoulder, didn’t say anything just disappeared into the trees.   
Erwin sighed, seems like Levi, had fallen back into his stupor. Hange stood, patting Erwin on the shoulder and followed Levi out into the darkness. 

Erwin sighed again, he looked over at Maya, “Your turn to yell if you wish.”  
Maya just shook her head, “No need, but you seriously do need to work on your people skills.”  
“We are just trying to survive.” Erwin replied.  
“And yet here we are in the middle of nowhere in titan territory, with no walls to keep us safe, and we seem to do fine.” Maya stood and left Erwin around the fire, his eyes staring into it, as if it could give him all the answers he needed. She moved over to Mike who stood watching the forest, and the direction Levi and Hange disappeared to. “He still is in love with Eren isn’t he?” she asked softly.   
Mike just grunted and nodded.  
“Silly young people,” she smiled turning and going back to the fire.

***  
“Levi, wait up,” Hange called out after the retreating smaller man.   
“Go away shitty glasses,” came the response.   
Like usual she ignored him and moved up to stand next to him, “Eren sure is something now, the way he uses those claws, in and out of titan form, oh” she did a whole-body wiggle, “I want to experiment on him.”   
Levi gave her a disgusted side glare. “What do you want?” he sneered.   
“Oh Levi,” she stopped her antics and actually settled down, she moved to a nearby log and sat down. “Drop the act Levi, I can see that you want to go to him.”  
Levi grumbled before his face fell, Hange was one of the few that he could be real with, “I can’t Hange, I can’t go through all that again, not a third time.” His shoulders shivered, and Hange moved to him, her arms circling him from behind, pulling him backwards into her. She didn’t say anything, she didn’t need to. She gave him the small amount of comfort they could till Levi pulled away, he wiped his tears away, “Come on, lets get back to the camp before the stupid brats start rumours about us.”  
***  
Lathan finally came to the branch that Eren stopped at, he found him crying, his whole body wracked with sobs. He crooned softly as he gathered Eren in his arms. The man turning around latching on his shirt and cried into his chest. He pated his back, soft nonsense words falling from his lips. As much as he hated those Scouts down there and what they meant for Eren, he was also thrilled, maybe just maybe if he played his cards right, he would get Eren back into his arms for good. He belonged with him, Eren was his and not that foul faced, expressionless freak down below.   
Eren finally calmed down and he pulled himself out of Lanthan’s arms, and he moved away a touch. He groaned as he ran his fingers through his hair. “Why did that get to me so much?” he mumbled to himself. He wiped his face and let himself calm down, he was glad he didn’t get all red and splotchy like some did when they cried. He sat their glad Lanthan left him alone to his thoughts. His breathing settled and calm filled him. It was a good few hours he stewed over his thoughts until he laid down and he mumbled at Lanthan, “Lets sleep.” He tucked himself against the trunk of the tree, Lanthan settling beside him. He turned over and let himself enjoy the comfort of another human being. He fell asleep his thoughts still troubled by those below.  
***  
Eren woke early and he moved away from Lanthan, who had during the night thrown an arm over him and pulled him tight against his chest. His movement woke Lanthan, who was grumbling as Eren started to stretch his limbs out. It was still dark but the sun was threating to start lightening the day.   
Lanthan groaning behind him. “Did you have to climb so high?” he whined, “It’s going to take forever to get back down. Eren smirked, as he looked down, to his left another tree grew so close he could just about reach out and touch it. He chuckled slightly he felt like showing off to the scouts a bit, flaunting his control over his body now. He took off his shoes and tied the laces into a knot. “Want to go down fast?” he asked Lanthan.   
The man grinned, “Why not.” He took Eren’s shoes and watched as he hardened his fingers and toes to hard points. He then hoped up on Eren back, his arms and legs wrapping around that strong torso, glad his was slightly smaller than Eren. They had done this several times now. Eren laughed as he launched from the branch and grabbed the trunk of the tree, before pushing off again, zigzagging his way down between the two trees till he was only ten metres from the ground where he just dropped landing hard. The ground actually sinking under his feet. Lanthan jumped off and he handed Eren’s shoes back, smiling, “Thanks for the ride Eren,” he chuckled.   
They turned together to look at the scouts, they all stood there with dumfounded expressions, apart from Levi and Erwin who looked on with blank faces, and Hange who was looking like she was having an orgasm.   
“HOW DID YOU DO THAT?” she squealed at the top of her lungs.   
“I worked out that I can use some of my titans’ abilities across in my human form,” Eren grinned at Hange who was bouncing up and down on the spot.   
“No time Hange, the camp is packed, we have to get moving.” Erwin said as he moved over to them  
“Where are you going?” Eren asked confused.  
“Those animals we were chasing, the bison, they will have moved too far for us to follow them, we failed our mission. He glanced at Eren, “I take it you will not be joining us on our return trip.”  
Eren just raised an eyebrow.  
“Though so.” Erwin nodded, “Very well, if you change your mind you know where the city is, the offer will remain open.”  
Maya came rushing over, “I was told that you are leaving?”  
“Yes, we need to return to the city.” Erwin replied.   
“You can’t go back now, you have injured, that man died last night, you have two dead to bury. Sasha has at least 6 weeks of healing before she is even safe to get back onto a horse, if you go back out there now you may as well take a sword to their throats and slit them yourself, it is suicide.”   
“We are soldiers, they know the risks,” Erwin said glaring down that the woman.  
“You are killing your own men, for no bloody reason. Leave your injured with us then, we will look after them,” Maya glared back as fiercely, if not more.   
“It is to far for us to come back out for them, the city will not fund a rescue mission.”  
“Well you are not leaving then, I will not let you.” Maya stamped her foot.   
Erwin raised an eyebrow, “and how on earth do you intend to stop us.”  
Maya pointed at Eren.   
“You do realise everyone here is a titan killer, we have no complete rookies in our camp. He might take a few of us down, but we can and will kill him and then be on our way, nothing will change for us but you will lose your protection, what of your village then?”  
Eren snarled as he stalked forward. When Hange appeared, “Okay this has gotten a bit out of hand. Maya is right, we can’t take the injured with us and have a chance of them surviving. Why don’t we travel to the village, leave our injured, reassess the situation? All of us could do with a day or two rest. Then we can decide on what to do.”  
Erwin pauses, he looks around the camp, his soldiers are tired, the horses could do with a few days rest. “Very well a few days that is all.”   
The group is still on edge, and Hange grabs Eren’s arm and pulls him over to a wagon where Moblit sat in already.   
“Okay Eren, you have to tell me everything,” Hange squealed, everyone around either shooting annoyed expression or one of pity towards Eren. “How long can you hold you titan for now?”  
“The longest I have done was 24 hours, but I was exhausted after, slept for a who day.”  
“Your claws, you managed to figure out hardening?”  
“Yeah, it turns out if I really concentrate I can actually feel the carbon that’s in my skin, all I have to do is concentrate and I can make the carbon grow and strengthen.”  
Eren watched amused as Hange grabbed Moblit, “Are you getting all this, make sure you write down everything.”  
The poor man, freed from the grip of the crazy, “Already am,” he muttered as he kept writing, book on his lap.   
Hange spent the rest of the morning questioning him, all on his titan or titan abilities. Finally, he got tired of her and he moved over to Armin and Mikasa. “Save me,” he fake whisper. Everyone around him laughed.   
Levi watched out of the corner of his eye as Eren escaped Shitty Glasses, and move across to his friends. He sighed internally, he wanted to push his horse over to him. Ask him how he was, how he had been living the last five years, he wanted to know everything. But his heart, he had closed it off, and he pushed that feeling of want down, he wouldn’t open himself up again, not even for Eren once more. He heard Eren, he didn’t want to return to the city, he wasn’t going back. And he couldn’t reach out hold him close, not if he only got a day or two before Erwin moved them on, or if he came to the decision to stay until everyone was healed, 6 weeks he had. He couldn’t have him for 6 weeks then be forced to leave. He forced his eyes away from Eren, he wouldn’t go there, stay away, stay clear and stay safe, to be alone was safe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nice big chapter hope you enjoyed. 
> 
> PLEASE REVIEW tell me what you think


	7. Rest

Eren and Maya laughed at the looked of amazement that crossed the faces of all the scouts around them as they took in the village. Lanthan moped behind them.   
The villagers smiled and waved at Eren as he passed, but were cold and uncertain of the scouts, they were not used to strangers. Hides everywhere were pulled taunt, stretched out over frames, as women and older children scrapped away the fat. The smokers still going fanned by children as the men and women watching it, made sure the smoke was still good, as they turned the meat strips over.   
Levi was impressed at the co-ordination that came from those working, all curious about them but none stopped their work for more than a moment before continuing, most people in the city were nosy and wanted to know what everyone else was doing even stopping their work to come and watch something. He watched as Eren bounded forward to a man, who he stopped and spoke to quickly before nodding, he looked back at them quickly and he started to a tree and began to climb. He watched as the strong man climbed quickly as he disappeared up into canopy and the houses high, high above. “Not bad,” he muttered as he took in the village for a second time. By now Maya had moved over to the same man that Eren had talked to and was clearly angry as she pointed back at them. Erwin had merely glanced up at the village before moving over to join Maya and the man. As much as he wanted to stare and take in the entire village in the air, Levi watched Erwin instead. His back was tense and he was angry, the muscle in his neck popping. They spoke for a few minutes, when the village man, Levi thought was safe to presume the leader of the place smiled, and Erwin’s shoulders sagged a little and nodded.  
Levi moved over to Erwin.   
“Where are we to stay?” Erwin asked the man.   
“You will camp here on the ground, it is safe, we haven’t had a titan come into the woods to our village in over 12 months. Most are too scared of Eren’s scent markings, those that do our perimeter system works well, if you hear a horn blast 3 times, it means titans and you best start climbing. You are not to go up into village unless you have an invite from one of the villagers. You are not to just enter any building up there unless invited by the villager that took you up. If you would rather sleep up in the trees, you are welcome to use any of the ones in the area, that are not inhabited already. You will not find it to hard to move around, there is a large lake over there,’ he pointed, “We will take you wounded up to our healing house.”   
“How will you get them up there, they can’t climb like Eren.”  
Jhoel laughed, “Eren is impatient and doesn’t like waiting for the lift says it to slow, alright for the younger ones with more energy than they know what to do with, but us oldies, we use the lifts.”  
Jhoel led them over to a series of wooden platforms, that were lifted along the side of a tree trunk a groove carved into the trunk to stabilise the platform, a series of pulleys and roped lifting the platform from the ground up into the village above. The men on the platforms all large men with solid torso’s that came from handling the platforms pulleys. “We can take three injured at a time up. We have our healer houses, we will put them in there and when they are better they will be returned to your camp.”  
Erwin nodded and he turned, “Mike, organise the wounded to be transported, three at a time. Levi find a suitable tree for us to camp in and under.” He set off barking orders at the scouts as he went.   
Levi muttered as he walked off, his eyes flicking over trees and up into them, most had houses in them so he moved further out, till he was on the edge of the city, taking into account of how far the lake was and he made his choice, it was a large redwood, large heavy branches good for supporting large number of hammocks without crowding, and good for not dropping there branches randomly like some other tress had a nasty habit of doing. The area underneath the tree open and free of vegetation, good for the tents. “Right this is the spot we will camp, get the tents up,” he moved to his own horse and pulled down his pack. The scouts didn’t need him to order where or how to put up the tents, so he left the to it, as he brushed down his own horse, and set it to wander, their horses never went far from the camp even if not contained in an area. The animal moving to the water troughs some scouts had started to fill with water. Gathering his hammock, he used his 3DMG to climb. He went high, very high up the tree. He wanted to be above the rest of the scouts. And all the others knew it, and would place their hammocks well below his. By the time he stopped climbing he was almost in level with the village. It was quite beautiful he had to admit, as he set his hammock up. Small houses either built on or even in the trees. He was admiring the structure of one, the way it had been built into a hollow, when of all bloody people who had to live in it, Eren appeared out of the door. Levi felt his face pinch, but he refused to move his hammock, nor could he move the tent city that was forming below him. He pursed his lips as he tucked his night things into the hammock and zipped down to the floor. By the time he had come down so had Eren using vines and the sides of the trunk to just about free fall, he had to admit it was impressive. Turning his back on the man he moved through the scouts scolding and cursing as he went. He was in a foul mood, he was about to make everyone else just a miserable as he felt.   
***  
Eren left the scouts on the ground, his breath harsh but not from the climb but from his need to calm down. He slipped into his house and the first thing he did was move to the compartment and check on the books. As angry as he was with Erwin, they needed to know what he had found out. He took a deep breath and shakes his head as he caught a whiff off his body and scrunched his nose up, he reeked, he needed a bath. Quickly he filled his pails from the outside barrel that is situated to be filled by rain water collected on branches around him, or to be filled by a passing channel. By the time he had made several trips a young teen appeared at his house, a pincer and a heated rock at the end of it. Eren smiles, “Thanks, you didn’t have to Harry.”   
The teen smiled, “It’s okay I saw you getting the water, you got us so much meat, we will be good for winter at this rate” Eren took the pincers and thanked him again before moving back into his house. He didn’t expect people to stop and get him stuff, he really didn’t, most of the time he collected his own heated rocks, but it was nice to be appreciated. He dropped the stone into the water, listening to the water hiss as it settled into the rock basin that was designed to take the hot rocks. He stripped and tested the water, it was nice and warm. Jumping in he relaxed, the heat of the water relaxing his tense muscles and he started thinking of Levi. He had more frown lines, a few more creases at the side of his mouth and under his eyes. But he was still Levi, those cold eyes, the sideways glares, he shivered, remembering the way that those eyes raked over him. Those extra lines under his eyes creasing, he wondered how much more of Levi had changed, his cock gave a twitch as he remember all those times stripping Levi down, revealing those tight muscles, bunching abs, he groaned as his hand found his hard dick and he began to stroke. The soft sighs Levi gave as he prepared him and the way he moaned as he fucked him. The way his muscles bunched and moved under the skin as he rode him, he gave a moan as he came in the water. He finished, gasping as if he had run a mile, he groaned and ran his dry hand over his face. “Fuck how am I going to do this?” he mutters. He pulls the plug from the hole of the tub and he watches as the water disappears, there was a set up of hollows and pipes that took the water away from the trees and deposited it out on the ground outside of the village.   
Drying himself quickly he dressed, opening the hidden compartment he started to pull the books out, when a knock rang on the door. He threw a blanket over the open compartment and answered the door. Lanthan stood at the door, “I thought I would let you know that Maya won, the scouts,” Lanthan all but sneered the name, “Are staying for six weeks or at least until the injured are healed.”  
Eren nodded, “Thanks Lanthan,” his mind back on the books. He had a bit of time now. He went to close the door, when Lanthan stopped, putting his hand up against the door.   
“Would you like company tonight Eren?” the man smiled.   
Eren shook his head, “Lanthan,” he sighed, “I am not your boyfriend anymore, and I don’t want to be with you like that.” He all but slammed the door in Lanthan’s face. He quickly forgot the man as he moved over to books removing the blanket and stuffing the books back into the hole and covering it back up again with the door. He places his head against tree that formed his walls. He could be selfish he thought, be with his old friends again, before they left again, maybe forever this time, he would take his chance this time to say goodbye.   
He breathed heavily, before moving out of his house, he was going to use these next few weeks for his benefit, he would finally be able to completely close the chapter of his life that was the scouts and the city for once and for all when the scouts left, but first his friends and surviving the feelings that came from having Levi so close for six whole weeks. Like usually he left the village fast and quick, climbing (more like controlled falling) with the use of vines and trunks of nearby trees.   
Moving between the tents of the scouts he finds Armin and Mikasa, “Hey guys, want a tour?”   
“Of course,” Armin shoot to his feet and Mikasa nodded. His eyes flicking over to Levi as they walked past him and Erwin, “First I will show you the lake, then I will show you the village and my home.”  
“I would like to see the village, may I join?” Erwin asked.   
Eren just flicked him the finger as he went past, Erwin’s eyebrow raising high on his forehead, beside him Levi actually snorted.   
“You won’t get anywhere with him Erwin, you should have learnt ages ago how stubborn he is.” Levi snorted again as he walked away from Erwin.   
***  
Laughter rang around the clearing, Eren sat around a fire with Levi squad, minus Levi, and the 109th minus Sasha and Connie, who were up in the villages healing huts. Where Eren had taken Mikasa and Armin earlier in their tour to see them.   
“So, what have you all been doing?” Eren asked.  
Jean grinned, “I have a wife,” he smirked, “A beautiful little thing she is, her name is Veronica, blonde hair, blues eyes, prettiest smile you will ever see,” he gushed.  
Eren smirked, “Didn’t think you would ever find someone stupid enough to take you on, horse face.”  
“Don’t call me that,” Jean yelled. “Beside I am not the only one here, Armin got himself a girl and a kid.”  
“Idiot,” Mikasa, slapped him over the back of his head, “that was for Armin to say.”  
“Oh sorry,” Jean rubbed the back on his head looking sheepish.  
“What the hell are you doing here Armin?” Eren asked, his eyes wide, “Why didn’t you stay with your wife and child.”   
“I met Diana while I was map surveying. She is a teacher, and we got along well, so I married her and left the scouts about 12 months after you left. Next thing we know Diana is pregnant and we had a little boy, we named him after you actually, but spelt E-R-Y-N.” Armin sighed, “But then the famine, and we needed food, so I went back the scouts asking for work. Levi took me on with his squad, Mikasa, already working for him. I sort all the paperwork for his team, and well, I had no choice so here I am out here.”  
Eren sat dumbfounded, “Why on earth did you name him after me?”   
Armin turned bright red, and he stammered a bit. Mikasa chuckled and elbowed Eren in the side.   
“How about you Mikasa?”  
“I live with Armin and Diana. I am not home with them much, my main job is on the wall now, with the climbing titans, the scouts are manning the walls alongside the garrison.”   
“Is that it?” Eren asked, “No boyfriends, nothing?”  
Mikasa just shook her head.   
“Talking about boyfriends, Sasha and Connie are together,” Krista added.   
“Really?” Eren asked, then he looked thoughtful, “Always thought those two had something for each other. And you Krista?”   
The pretty blonde just grinned and she reached her hand out, Petra smiled as she took it.  
Eren’s eyes widened, “Okay, so I didn’t see that coming,” he laughed.   
The pair just grinned as they looked at each other, Oluo, Gunther and Eld groaning, “Break it up will you,” Gunther muttered and Eld said, “Get a room.”   
The group laughed again loud and happy. Eren reclined back on his arms as the night passed, everyone telling stories, and the years between them soared past like it was only yesterday they were all together.   
****  
It was almost a week since the scouts had settled into the village. Laughter filled the area around the lake. Eren at the centre as he splashed water over the scouts. They were supposed to be out pulling reeds for more thatching, and to keep the reeds from taking over the lake. But it turned into a water fight very quickly. Levi watched un-amused, as they adults who acting like children splashed each other, screeching with laughter. It was already a week since they had been in the village. He had wandered off wanting some peace and quiet and came to a tree over the lake, enjoying the quiet and peace as he settled amongst the branches. His eyes were closed as he drifted on the edge of sleep and consciousness listening to the birds and insects of the forest, when it was all ruined by idiots. He watched as Eren, and his squad and some villagers move into the water, cutting away at the reeds, piling them up and tying them off into lumps. He watched looking for slackers, they were to help the villagers where they could whilst under there hospitality, but the scouts were good, until Eren started the water fight. He rolled his eyes as the man tossed water over Jean. He couldn’t help but stare at the topless man, his shoulders broader than when they were together, his muscles tauter and harder to. He groaned quietly as he watched the water drip off those muscles as Eren stood on the edge of the lake, the game over, as they all gathered the rushes and moved back to the village. Levi moaned, his cock hard and twitching in his pants. ‘Fuck,’ he thought as he palmed himself. He shivered as he looked around and made sure no one was watching as he pulled himself from his pants, closing his eyes, he envisioned Eren, those solid shoulders and water dripping off his body, he gave a breathy moan as he tugged faster, as his thoughts morphed to Eren over him, pounding into him from behind, taking him hard and fast as he moaned, his grip tightened and his hips bucked up. “Fuck Eren,” he whispered as he came hard all over his hand. Panting he came down from his high, and he snarled at himself and the mess he made. He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and cleaned himself up, before tucking himself back into his pants and thumped his head back against the tree behind him. How was he going to handle another five weeks?   
***  
It was dark when Levi yawned, “I’m going to sleep,” he muttered as he uses his grapples to climb, moving silently past the rest of the sleeping scouts. He climbed into his hammock and looked over, ‘Damn it,’ he swore inside his head. He looked straight through the open window of Eren’s house, the man had a small fire going, enough to light the house, his was moving around naked, instantly Levi felt his cock harden, ‘Fuck this, I am not a horny teenager anymore,’ he thought as he turned himself over to stare into the darkness and not at the sexy figure across the gap. His hand moving down to his pants. Fighting with his own thoughts about going across and joining Eren in his bed.  
***  
Eren groaned as he rolled into bed. He was exhausted, it had been an emotional day, laughing and crying around that fire with his friends was what he needed. The smile on his face still there as he fell asleep.   
It was several hours later, when a quiet knock echoed on his door, but he didn’t hear it, and kept on sleeping.   
The door creaked as it opened and shut, footsteps barely making a sound as they made their way through the living room, and into the bedroom. The bed dipped as another body rolled onto it. Strong arms circled around the sleeping man and they settled down against him. Eren rolled over and he muttered unintelligibly as he rubbed his nose into the chest of the joiner, he muttered again as he kept sleeping.   
*****  
Eren woke slowly, enjoying the heat of his bed and the warmth radiating from the body next to him. Suddenly he stiffened and turned over to see who was spooning him. Fast asleep black hair spread over his pillow was……


	8. Jealousy

Eren woke slowly, enjoying the heat of his bed and the warmth radiating from the body next to him. Suddenly he stiffened and turned over to see who was spooning him. Fast asleep black hair spread over his pillow was Lanthan. Eren snarled anger filling him. He grabbed the hide under Lanthan and pulled. The man went flying and woke as his back hit the floor, “Wh-what?” the man peered around.   
“WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?” Eren screamed.   
“I- I just wanted to make you happy, you were with me up that tree the other night, I wanted to keep you company” Lanthan stood up, his hand reaching out to touch Eren.   
“Get out,” Eren snarled.   
“Eren please, I will be good this time, I won’t get jealous please, I promise, I just want to be with you.” Lanthan tried to touch him again, but Eren knocked his hand away.   
“I asked you to leave, get out,” Eren grabbed a shirt and pulled it on quickly. “OUT,” he roared as Lanthan moved towards him.   
“Eren please,” the man begged.  
“No Lanthan, we are not good for one another, find someone else, I am not interested.”   
“Is it because of that freak down below? Would you rather him than me? Am I not good enough for you? I am better than him, at least I can look at you, at least I can touch you, talk to you. Has he done any of that since you saved all their lives, did he come and THANK YOU for WHAT YOU DID,” Lanthan was yelling at him.   
Eren lost it, “Don’t you dare insult Levi or call him a freak, you don’t know the man or what he has gone through.” His voice was quiet. Lanthan froze, he knew it that moment he had crossed the line, Eren’s eyes were like steel. He started to back away, as Eren marched forward.   
“I’m sorry Eren, please. I’m sorry, I just,” he fell to his knees, “We belong together,” he pleaded, tears in his eyes.   
Eren grabbed his bicep and pulled him to his feet. He began to half drag the stumbling man to his front door. “I don’t love you Lanthan, get that through your thick skull and leave me alone.” Eren opened his door and threw Lanthan through it.   
“Eren,” Lanthan sobbed, as he pushed himself up. But the door was slammed in his face. He sobbed fully now, his eyes looking around, a few curious neighbours watching through windows, attracted by the screaming. “WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT?” he yelled and wooden shutters were pulled across quickly. He stumbled to his feet and took off towards his home.   
***  
Eren grumbled as he dressed, he had showed but one moment of weakness to Lanthan and the man had taken it and run with it. How many times did he have to tell Lanthan no. He was going to ask Jhoel to have him removed from his hunting parities if he didn’t back off. He left his house, peaking through the door to see if Lanthan was gone, his front porch was empty and let a sigh of relief out, shutting his door behind him and headed for the outskirts of town, he needed to be alone for a while, away from everyone, away from Lanthan, Levi and the rest of the scouts. It was still early enough that most of the village was still asleep, as he slipped along the aerial roadways, till he reached the outskirts and where the pathways stopped. He closed his eyes for a moment and willed his body to be light, it felt like his bones themselves became lighter, he bunched his muscles and jumped. Landing on the branch six metres away he used the gathering momentum to keep moving, his arms and legs moving in tandem and he jumped or swung his way through the canopy. His heavy feelings got left behind at the exhilarating feeling of freefall, he through his head back and whopped, nothing beat this, he laughed as he pushed himself faster and faster till he felt like he was flying.   
Day light filtered through the tree tops down to the ground far below, reflecting off the surface of the small stream he sat and drank from. He was deep in the forest now, the stream actually marking the boundary of his scent area. He was in a part of the forest he actually hadn’t explored past the point of his scent marking.   
***  
“Have any of you seen Eren?” Jhoel asked Hange. He had searched all Eren’s usual haunts in the village and decided to come to the ground and see if the scouts had him. He asked those manning the lifts if they had seen him gone down, they said no, but that didn’t mean much, the young man often giving them all heart attacks as he just leapt from branches.   
The woman, well at least he thinks she was a woman, shook her head, “not since last night, when he was talking with the 109th and Levi squad.”   
Maya wandered over then, Mike following her, in his hands two large baskets full of wild herbs. “Oh, he had an argument with Lanthan early this morning. Apparently Lanthan had made himself at home in Eren’s bed without invite. Eren kicked him out, I could actually hear them yelling at each other from my house. I was awake so I decided to go and get some herbs, Mike here was up and said he would help.” She smiled back at the large man, and he pursed his lips as he looked away quickly. Jhoel was worried, he didn’t want Maya to become attached to someone who was just going to leave, but his sister was a grown woman and could handle herself. He just wished he could say the same of Lanthan, he needed to get that boy in control before he did something stupid. His attention returned to Maya as she kept speaking, “Anyway I was just gathering my baskets, when I saw Eren leave his house and head that way,” she pointed, “the way he took off, I would guess to say we won’t see him till tonight, he may even stay out, he’s done it before.” Maya shrugged.   
“Yes, but he usually, tells us where and how long he will be,” Jhoel rubbed his eyes. “I guess if we need him, we will blow the horns. Just everyone be careful, and listen for the 3 blasts signalling titans, the last thing we need is for a random day that a titan decides to ignore the scent markings and come looking.”   
“We are here to,” Hange smiled, “If any titans come, the scouts are more than able to help.”   
Jhoel nodded his thanks, “When you see Eren can you ask him to find me please.” He moved off leaving the scouts and headed back up into the village.   
Jhoel knocked on the closed door to Lanthan’s house and it opened to hopeful eyes, which fell straight away, “Hey Jhoel,” he greeted tiredly. “I suppose the whole village knows?” He moved aside and let the older man enter. Jhoel walked in and saw the room was trashed, everything looked like it had been thrown, “I didn’t hear until a few moments ago, but I dare say if not already then soon, word doesn’t take long to get around.” He righted the small dining table and two chairs and he sat, motioning for Lanthan to sit. “Now I hear that you invited yourself to Eren’s house last night.”  
Lanthan grumbled, no clear answer, but the set of his shoulders was enough.  
“You know that isn’t allowed. We all live so close to each other, we have to for safely, our homes are the one place, which is ours and no one else’s, you broke that last night. It is a serious offense Lanthan, as punishment you will be taken off hunting duties for a month, and you are to report to the swamp, every day till the end of your punishment you start tomorrow.” He stood and left shutting the door as he went behind him.   
Lanthan fumed, it was all wrong, it was all wrong, he snarled as he shot to his feet, this wasn’t his fault, he screamed wordlessly into his hands. Damn he felt like a drink, alcohol was sparse in the village, any crops grown went to food, and only a small amount to grog, used at times of celebrations. But he wanted a drink, he slipped out of his house and moved along quickly to one of the store houses. Before anyone could spot him, he grabbed two bottles of alcohol, shoved them in a basket and put a bag on top, if anyone asked he was going mushroom picking. He made it to the lifts without any suspicions, just side way glances that told him they knew of the mornings fight. But everyone was wise enough to not say anything, rumours went around, but everyone was polite enough to not stir trouble. Thanking the lift operators, he walked into the trees skirting the scouts camp. Finally, he stopped thinking he was far enough away, he sat down back against a tree and he pulled wooden cork from the gourd and he took a swig. He gasped as the alcohol burned its way down his gullet and settled warmly into his belly. He grinned as he took another swing.   
**  
He was tottering on his feet, the second bottle in his hands, half empty, most ending up on his clothes or the ground as he moved, he swayed between the tents the scouts had set up, many asking if he was okay, he just pushed them away from him, others looking at him in disgust. But it wasn’t any of them he was looking for, finally he spotted him, the tiny, half balled idiot, that Eren somehow loved. Anger filled him, if he couldn’t have Eren, then he couldn’t either.  
“You,” Lanthan screeched, “You turned him against me.”  
Levi turned, as he watched the angry man move over to him, the smell of alcohol that strong on him it smelt like he had bathed in it. He dodged the first punch, by stepping to the side.   
Maya went to grab Lanthan, but Levi held his hand up to stop her.  
“Go home, get yourself cleaned up, sobered up, I have no need to hurt you,” Levi stated.  
“YOUR FAULT,” Lanthan screamed again at him. He swung and missed again. He tottered on his feet as dropped the bottle and he drew his knife, the scouts all tensing around him. Levi turned and faced him full on. Lanthan charged his knife aiming for Levi’s stomach. The small man moved fluidly to the side, his left-hand grabbing Lanthan’s one holding the knife his fingers easily plucking the knife from the limp grip, his other coming down and grabbing Lanthan under his neck forming a choke hold, the larger man went down onto his knees, when Levi kicked the back of them. “Try again brat and I will kill you,” he said into his ear and his forearm flexed against Lanthan’s throat choking him slightly, his other arm lifting his own blade to place it against his throat. “Do you understand?” Lanthan nodded as much as he could, the speed which Levi moved and had him pinned made his head swirl and he was suddenly scared. The arms holding him suddenly let go and he sprawled forward into the dirt. He scrambled to his feet and staggered away, his knife imbedding into the soil next to him, grabbing it he put it back into his belt. The fear of the attack, sobered him reasonably quickly and left the scouts camp fast.   
***  
Maya had someone fetch Jhoel, explaining what Lanthan had done and handed, him a basket with one empty and half empty bottle. Mike had followed his tracks back in the forest and found where he was drinking.   
So, for the second time today he found himself in front of Lanthan’s house, this time the door was open and he knocked on it as he walked in, watching as Lanthan moved around stuffing his things into several bags. The young man glanced up, his eyes bloodshot from both alcohol and crying. “I’m leaving and you can’t stop me.”   
Jhoel just stood in front of the door blocking it. “What is this all about Lanthan. Why have you gone like this all the sudden?”   
“I love him,” Lanthan dropped the bags, his hands coming to his hair and he screamed as he tugged on his own hair hard enough that some was pulled out, his knees hit the floor, “I love him,” he cried.   
Jhoel moved over to him and he sat on the floor. “I have known you since you were a little boy, your parents left you under my care, when they died. You know I care for you like a son,” he wrapped his arm over, Lanthan’s shoulder and gently removed his fingers from where they were tangled.   
Lanthan’s crying increased, as words spewed from his mouth, wanting Eren from the moment he saw him, five long years of wanting but not having, then a small chance where Eren had let him in, but they never did anything more but kiss, he wanted Eren, in every way, “I want him, I want him to be mine, can’t you see that?” he looked up at Jhoel eyes wide.   
The older man nodded. “What you want is not love Lanthan, you want to possess Eren, keep him for yourself, that isn’t love. I watched you when you were dating, you got possessive and mean, anyone who tried to speak to Eren you chased, even me once. Love isn’t like that, its two people together, a mutual harmony of wanting to be together be in each other’s presence.” Jhoel sighed, “You have always been a greedy, even as a child, I spoilt you in some ways to, letting you have your own house when still only young, letting you lead the hunting expeditions, yes you are the best at archery but others have more experience. I suppose I did it all because I felt guilty about your parents’ deaths, but it ends now Lanthan.” He stood his role at being a parent over and now he was the leader once more. “You broke into the stall house and stole alcohol, attacked a member of the scouts in front of many witnesses, entered a private residence without permission from the owner. All of these are serious breaches of the accepted laws of this village and you have disrupted the peace. Your earlier punishment is to be changed in site of these further issues, you are to remain in your rooms tonight, you will sober up. One of the cook’s helpers will bring you your evening meal. At first light in the morning you will be escorted to the western most scout outpost. There you will remain for 3 cycles, one cycle for each of your transgressions.” Lanthan hung his head, each cycle was a full calendar moon, 3 months he would be out there for. Jhoel softened his voice once more. “Take this chance to clear you head son, think about what you really want, who you want to be.” He placed his hand on Lanthan’s head. “Good luck, I will see you upon your return.” Jhoel left Lanthan slumped on the floor, he thought he heard him sobbing as he shut the door. He moved through the village to the closet cook house telling one of them to make sure Lanthan got dinner that night. It wouldn’t take long for the word to go around the village of Lanthan’s punishment, nearly everyone would have already heard about his crimes.   
Now he just had to wait for Eren to come back from wherever he went to. Jhoel huffed sometimes he hated his job.   
****  
It was dark when Eren returned home. A fully day of roaming and exploring on area of the forest he had never been in had done him a world of good. Several people he had passed said that Jhoel had been looking for him. He nodded his thanks to them, eventually finding the man in the main dining hall. Jhoel smiled and beckoned him over to him, he left out a small sigh of relief he wasn’t in trouble, hopefully. “How was your day?” he asked him.  
“Sorry I left without telling anyone,” Eren said as he sat next to the man, “I found another fruit groove, a massive fig tree, it’s a distance with it would be worth the trip.” He spoke of his other discoveries but nothing as good as the fig tree. Jhoel just sat listening to his watching his face and body movements. Eren always curled his shoulders in when he thought that he was in trouble, like he was doing now.  
“You’re not in trouble Eren, you are allowed to come and go as pleases you, you know this, its just nice to know where and when you are heading out, just in case.” Jhoel smiled as Eren’s shoulders straightened before almost immediately curling back in on themselves at his next statement. “I know what happened this morning. I might as well tell you as you will find out anyway. Lanthan after he left yours, decided to steal alcohol and got himself drunk. He then proceeded to attack Captain Levi, in the scout’s area. No one was hurt,” as Eren looked startled, “but due to these serious actions of his, Lanthan has been restricted to his quarters for the night and he is being posted to the western most sentry post for 3 turns.”   
Eren blinked and nodded slowly, “I didn’t want this to happen,” he said softly.   
“I know, I was silly in keeping you two together as well, with all the hunting expeditions and scouting. Lanthan doesn’t think right around you, so I am separating you pair, he has 3 months with only two other scouts hopefully he gets his thoughts into gear and he is able to sort himself out. After that,” Jhoel shrugged, “We will have to see how it goes.” Suddenly he grinned, “Now about this Captain Levi Ackerman?” Eren just shoved him gently and stood leaving to join a different group. Jhoel watched him thoughtfully. Maya slid up to him, “hello brother, what’s got that thoughtful face happening?” He looked across at her. “I know I usually try to stay out of personal lives but I think he needs help.”  
Maya laughed, “Leave it up to me, Mike and I were talking about them today actually.”  
Jhoel smirked, “Mike hey?”  
Maya actually blushed, “What, I like him, all those big beautiful muscles, and a good mind to.”  
Jhoel laughed, “Okay, don’t need to know anymore.” A concerned look past over his face, “Will it be okay though? He is only here for six weeks. Then the scouts are leaving.”  
“Oh don’t worry about me, it’s just a bit of fun,” Maya stood, “Maybe Hange can help us wrangle the stubborn Captain into line,” she nudged him hard and laughed as she moved off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone has a better idea of how to word a summary for this fic. Please let me know, I feel like the summary is a bit of a let down.


	9. Rendezvous

Maya and Hange hunted Erwin down and all but pounced on the man.   
“ERWWWIIINNN,” Hange drawled out.  
“What is it Hange,” he muttered, it was far to early in the morning to be putting up with this.   
“We have to do something about Levi and Eren, they are clearly still head over heels for each other, but they are both to stubborn to do anything themselves.”  
“Why should we do that?” Erwin muttered as he rubbed his face, Mike smiling at Maya.   
“Because Levi deserve happiness, do you remember what he was like when he was with Eren before, he was smiling, SMILING, Erwin, and he actually laughed. He was happy, he’s our friend, your friend. He has done more than enough for humanity, he deserves happiness.”  
Mike nods, “But if they get back together, we will potential lose Levi from the scouts. Eren doesn’t want to leave here, and he could convince Levi to stay.”  
“Or convince him to join us once again,” Erwin muttered.  
Hange and Maya slapped him over the head at the same time.  
“Don’t you care for anyone?” Maya asked at the same time as Hange yelled.  
“You are an idiot, he is our friend and deserves happiness. Becoming the leader of the scouts has gone to your head Erwin, you have seen to many men die, sent too many to their deaths and now you are becoming impartial to it all. You are losing the sight that we once had, freedom for humans, happiness for humans. Eren and this place can give happiness and freedom to Levi, if all we achieve is one human finding that peace, it is worth it all.”   
Erwin froze at that, they could see him thinking his mind working, suddenly his shoulders drooped. “I did lose sight of that,” he nodded, “okay let’s talk to them.”   
Hange grinned, “Levi won’t listen to you about this but, I want you to come with me when we talk to him. Maya’s taking Eren.”  
Erwin nodded, “Well let’s get it done with,” he said, “No time like the present.”  
Hange whopped and they went off to find Levi, Mike and Maya slinking off together. 

They found Levi in front of his tent, sipping on a cup of tea. His eyes glaring at them over the tea cup. “What do you want Eyebrows, shitty glasses, can’t it wait?”   
“No, it can’t,” Erwin stated. “You need to talk to Eren.”  
Levi raised an eyebrow as he lowered his cup, “Excuse me?” he drawled his tone deadly, even Erwin paled a bit as Hange glared at him to.  
“What he means is maybe you should try talking to Eren, I can see you care for him, I know you don’t want to be hurt again Levi, but its for your benefit, we want to see you happy—”   
Levi stood, “No,” the man snapped, he put his teacup back in his tent and took off away from them.   
“Well that went well,” Erwin said.   
“You idiot,” Hange hit him again and stormed off.   
****  
“Do you want to find Eren?” Mike asked as he held Maya’s hand.  
“No point Eren left for a scent marking walk this morning early, he took Armin and Mikasa with him, he will be back later, I will talk to him then.” She grinned, “But for now, your tent or my house?”   
Mike grinned, “Yours.” Maya giggled like a girl and she led him over to the lifts. 

***

Armin and Mikasa tucked into his neck, he purred, he was so happy. The mad house that was yesterday was far from his mind. Armin chatted away into his ear, as Mikasa rubbed his ear, his purring grew louder and his friends laughed.   
“We missed you Eren,” Mikasa whispered, but he heard it, he flickered her with his ear and she scowled at him. He scent-marked as he moved along, Armin laughed at him the first time he did it, saying he looked like a cat. He had flicked him with ear, glaring at him out of the side of his eye.   
They were several hours into his walk when Armin spoke, “You know that Levi never got over you Eren.”   
Eren stopped walking and turned his eye to Armin, disbelief clearly seen, he snorted and shook his head, he lifted his fingers and started to sign before pausing and looking down at his hands, they didn’t know his signing. “I have been watching you two. You both keep sneaking looks at each other when you think no one is watching. You’re not over him either, are you Eren?” Eren huffed and Armin grinned, “I know I am right.” Eren just huffed again and he looked away from Armin and started to walk again.   
“Think about it Eren, he lost Farlan and Isabel, closed himself off to everyone, for years, then you came along and clawed your way into his heart, then he was happy again, all the sudden you were torn from him again. And I know it wasn’t your choice to leave, but you walked away from him. The Captain shut down, believing he wouldn’t open it again for anyone. I know,” Mikasa took a deep breath, “I did it to Eren, I closed myself off from everyone even Armin, for a bit. It hurt to much, you were always there, then suddenly gone, I didn’t want to hurt like that again, so I silly shut everyone off, I didn’t care if a titan killed me at least the pain would be over.” A tear slid down her face, and Eren whined, his finger prodding her, rubbing gently across her head. “But Armin, never left me alone, even though he was grieving as well, he pulled me out of that depression, he made sure to keep me attention even when he met Diana. Forcing me to come around for dinners, eventually he made me take the top room of their house after they married. Little Eryn is a terror,” she laughed, “He helped the most, those blue eyes and that charming little smile.” She smiled up at Eren and she hugged his finger before pushing it away, “I had people give me a reason to keep on living Eren. Levi didn’t let anyone it to give that to him again.”  
“Don’t tell anyone I said this, but Petra told me, that Levi went to the underground and fought in the pits for weeks before Commander and the Levi squad pulled him out of there.” Armin shook his head.   
Eren’s eyes went wide, he knew all about Levi’s past, as he looked ahead to the next tree, as he rubbed up against it he thought. He remembered Levi telling him about Farlan and Isabel, how they had been his only friends, that his decisions to bring them to the surface, join the scouts then leave them outside had killed them, and it was all his fault, he had cried that night, soaking the front of Eren’s shirt. He had held strong whilst Levi broke down. Armin and Mikasa let him think as he moved from tree to tree. He finally seemed to come to a decision and he looked at Armin and he nodded, but suddenly looked unsure.   
“What are you worried about Eren?” Mikasa asked.  
Eren actually shuffled, he quickly knelt and dragged his finger through the dirt. “How do I talk to him when he won’t even look at me.”  
“Oh, that’s easy,” Armin said, “Go up to him and tell him how you feel.”  
Eren looked unsure.   
“Be forceful, Eren” Mikasa grinned, “You got through to him once, why not again?”  
‘What about when you leave?’ he wrote.   
“Sasha’s broken bones are still four to five weeks from being healed, you have time to talk and come to a decision.” Armin answered. “You have a few options really. One,” he lifted a finger, “You ignore us, pretend we never had this conversation and everything goes on as it had, we will not bring it up again. Two, you get with Captain and you return with us to Mitras,” Eren grunted and shook his head, “Three the Captain stays here with you, leaves the scouts or the last option four, he beats you into a pulp for suggesting anything, and then we revert back to option one.”  
Eren huffs, Levi probably would belt him, for just the fun of it. He grits his teeth and nods, he finishes his round and beings to move back to the village. He dropped Mikasa and Armin off at the edge of the camp, who both gave him a thumbs up, and said good luck. His eyes moved over the camp and he spotted Levi, cursing the younger scouts as they did core exercises. He walked over, trying his best to dodge tents, but still collapsing a few of them. Grunting his apologies to the scouts that cursed him his hands. He reached where Levi was studiously ignoring him and before he could lose his nerve, he reached down and grabbed Levi around his waist, his hand covering the man from his feet, to his shoulders, only his head peaking out from his fingers. He stood back to full height and moved into the forest away from everyone, ignoring the enraged yelling came from his hand.   
Erwin, Hange, Mike and Maya looked up from where they sat enjoying the warmth of the fire, talking of old times, waiting for Eren to come in when they heard loud angry screaming.   
“EREN, YOU PUT ME DOWN RIGHT NOW YOU BASTARD, BEFORE I CUT YOUR FINGERS OFF AND SHOVE THEM UP YOUR ARSE.” They stood together and watched as Eren strode past and raging Levi in his fist. The obscenities that kept flowing from the man’s mouth was actually impressive.   
Armin laughed as he joined their group, Mikasa was grinning. “Maybe that was a little to forceful,” Armin cackled.   
“What just happened?” Erwin asked.   
“We told Eren that Captain Levi never really got over him, and that they should talk, Eren was worried by the fact Captain wont even look at him, we told him to be forceful, I say he took it a bit too much to heart.”   
Hange whined, “But that was our idea,” she watched the retreating form of the titan. But suddenly she laughed, “Well now he has no choice to listen to Eren.”   
“Unless Levi kills him first,” Mike added. Everyone but Maya frowned and looked at the forest with honest thought.   
****  
Levi fumed he managed to get his arms free, he now had them crossed over his chest, he had stopped screaming awhile back, now he flat out ignored Eren as the idiot took them deeper into the forest. He would need the overside brat to take him back to, he didn’t have his 3DMG on, and he only had a small blade in his belt. Damn he had gotten complacent in the forest over the last two weeks. Finally, the brat stopped and he set him on the ground carefully. He watched with a blank face as Eren clawed his way from the titan leaving a smoking ruin behind. The man was clearly unsure as he moved over to him, his shoulder curled in. “Hey Levi.”   
“That’s all you have to say, after you kidnap me, drag me all the way out here in the middle of the forest?” Levi snapped.  
Eren flinched, “No I-“ he froze.  
“Oh, for fucks sake,” Levi began to walk back the way they came from.   
“No wait,” Eren grabbed him as he went past, he kissed Levi. He shorter man stayed still, his lips and face impassive against his. Tears formed in his eyes as he pulled back, no response from Levi, his face as unreadable as ever. “I’m sorry- give me a moment, I will turn into a titan and – take you back.” He let Levi go and he started to turn away.   
Levi froze, the shock of those chapped lips against him again, those hands running over his arms, the smell of Eren assaulted his nose. He couldn’t move and he felt Eren pause and pull back, he saw the tears in those gorgeous eyes. He heard Eren talk and thought ‘Fuck it.’ He lunged forward and grabbed Eren, he pulled him down into a hard kiss, lips bruising against teeth as they clashed against each other. His tongue batting to get into the mouth on his. Eren’s eyes widened in surprise, before he responded back fast. He pulled Levi tight against him and he kissed him hard the only reason they stopped was to come up for air, before crashing back against each other again. His hands wandered over the smooth expanse of Levi’s back, down along his shirt down his waist where he pulled it up, his hands finding skin underneath. Levi mewled into his mouth and the sound went straight to his crotch. He groaned and he pulled back. He was panting as he stared into those steel eyes. “I missed you,” he whispered as he pressed his forehead against Levi’s.  
“I did to,” Levi whispered back and he shivered. Eren wrapped his arms around him tighter. “It’s getting late, I know a cave nearby we can stay for the night, or we can go back to village.”  
“Cave,” Levi didn’t even think. He wanted some solitude.   
He follows as Eren leads him to the cave. The entrance was small and they had to climb a bit, both were sweaty by the time they got to it. It was almost pitch black as they walked, “What’s the point if we can’t see anything,” the man grumbled.  
Eren laughed, “Its worth it, trust me,” he pulled them along a bit further when light appeared again in front of them, the cave opened up to a grove, the trees so thick the air was green in colour from the sun going through so many leaves, a small trickling stream broke through it, the water crystal clear, small glow bugs filtered here and there, moss soft under their boots.   
Levi huffed, ‘It’ll do,” he muttered.   
Eren grinned at him, he knew he was impressed. “No one else knows of this place, haven’t told them, it’s my little solace from the rest of the world.”  
He led Levi over the small stream and over to an out cropping, underneath was a fire already built ready to be set alight, and a bag with blankets and pillows.   
They settled down, talking just enjoy one other again, when Eren’s stomach gave a grumble. He laughed stood, “get the fire started I’ll be back with dinner.”   
Levi nodded and by the time he had got the fire started and going fully, Eren was already back two small fish in his hands, his body chest soaking wet and his shirt strung over his shoulder. Eren grinned as he presented the fish. Levi took his, gutted, cleaned and poked it onto a stick, before taking the second one and doing the same thing. As the fish cooked they continued their conversation, Levi leaning against Eren, sometimes just listening to that strong heartbeat, enjoying the man rubbing gentle designs over his arm. They ate in silence when the fish was done and added the sticks to fire. Eren laid down with a grin and dragged Levi, down onto the blanket beside him. He kissed him slowly as his fingers slipped under his shirt rubbing against Levi’s stomach. “May I?” he asked tugging the shirt.   
“Yes,” Levi grabbed the hem of his shirt, but Eren shook his head as he rolled Levi onto his back and moved over him. His lips and fingers tracing skin as the shirt was pushed up. Levi loved giving up control to Eren in the bed, he had so much control everywhere he wanted to give some of it up. He moaned as those sinful lips traced his abs, old scars and new. Eren’s tongue flicking out here and there adding to the sensation. He was just about to get up Eren when he pulled his shirt off and he attacked his lips, before he began his way back down. Fingers caressing his sides. Deft fingers reached his pants and green eyes stared up at him as he nibbled at the skin at his belly, “if you don’t take them off, I will,” he muttered. Eren chuckled and the sound made his hardening cock twitch even more. Eren pulled his pants down in a swift movement, by passing his hard cock, dragging his pants down, struggling with his boots for a moment, before they both joined his shirt to the side. His pants and under garments joining them.   
Eren kissed his way up Levi’s legs, finding all the dimples and scars he remembered his fingers and lips finding new ones, he committed them to memory as he moved his way up. Levi was hard and leaking by the time he got back to his waist. He gave a soft lick to the tip, making Levi cry out. He was still the same, fully shaven, he hated hair down there, not that Eren complained made oral so much easier. He licked Levi’s soft ball sack and the man arched under him. “EREN,” he growled and Eren chuckled as he took Levi in his hand and began to pump, his lips sealing over the top and sucked. Levi mewled his eyes closing as he threw his head back. “Fuck Eren,” Levi moaned. A week of watching Eren walk around shirtless during the day and nights of seeing him naked led to a large amount of sexual frustration.   
Eren chuckled around the erection in his mouth, sending quivers through Levi’s legs. He quickly shuffled out of his pants pulling them down enough to free himself.   
“Fuck Eren, been so long, I’m not going to last,” Eren just moaned around his cock, he wasn’t either, his hand pumped his own hard length, he set about sucking and pulling on Levi’s cock the way he remembered he liked till he started to quiver. He pulled off and continued to pump his length. He wanted to kiss and cuddle after, Levi refused if he swallowed saying it was filthy and he didn’t have any toothpaste here.   
Levi let out a strangled moan as he came, Eren following as he watched his lovers face. He moaned as he milked them both out and stopped. Quickly he got up and grabbing a spare cloth, going to the stream he soaked it, quickly washing himself off, before pulling his pants of completely, before rising the cloth and taking it back to Levi. He cleaned him down, before throwing the cloth to the side and pulling a blanket over the top of both them.   
“What about you?” Levi asked.   
Eren actually blushed, “Watching you was enough.”   
Levi snorted, “Pervert,” he snuggled into Eren’s chest and they settled, watching the bugs dance over the grove. They didn’t speak, they didn’t need to a quiet peace lulled over them, Levi drifted off first. Eren pulling him closer to his chest before he to slept.   
***  
Walking back into the camp the next morning was interesting. Hange and Maya where hooting at both of them. Levi threating to stab Hange with their own glasses.  
Mikasa and Armin were hauling water with the rest of the Levi squad and 109th, who all grinned at them. Eren just laughed it off and Levi grumbled. “Come,” Eren pulled him over to the lifts and took them up, to the catcalls from down below, which Eren and Levi both gave the middle finger salute to. Levi actually letting himself smile slightly.   
“See,” Hange elbowed Erwin in the side, hard enough he grunted, “He’s already smiling,” the scientist grinned as well. “It was worth it all.” They moved off as Erwin watched the lift rise into the air, Levi’s small grin as he stared at Eren. He had to agree with Hange it was worth it seeing his friend smile, but was it worth losing the solider though?  
***  
Levi had to admit it was even more amazing than the view from his hammock, the village was well organised, the first time up here since they arrive two weeks ago. Eren gave him a quick tour as he took him to his house. The villagers calling greetings to them as they passed. Most were rude and crude comments, which Eren just waved off and Levi ignored.  
They made it to the sanctuary of Eren’s house and he shut the door with a smile. “Would you like a bath?”   
“After,” Levi smirked, “I want you Eren, all of you,” he pulled him down into a kiss, “Now, where is your bed?”  
Eren led Levi to his bedroom, they fell onto it, kissing wildly as clothes flew through the air in all directions. They fell onto each other with a ravenous wasn’t there last night, Eren found a bottle of oil he kept in the room. He took Levi slow at start but the man kept bucking so he moved his thrusts hard and loud, Levi moaning threw it all. Finally, he came taking Levi with him.   
He lay panting, eventually getting his breath he pulled from Levi and he plopped to the side. They both calmed and Eren eventually sat up, “Still want that bath?”  
Levi nodded and Eren got him to his feet, carrying him to the bathroom, sitting him down on a stool. Eren left the room, as he looked around. It was well designed, simple but effective, he watched happily, as Eren came back in clothed, two buckets in his hands, he quickly filled the tub, heading out for more water, when it was halfway up the side, he put the buckets down, he kissed Levi, ‘I’ll be back, just got to go get a rock,” he left leaving Levi confused, what the hell did he need a rock for? He stood, wincing as he felt the evidence of their coupling slide down his thigh. He began to look for a cloth to wipe himself with, opening a draw he found a soft shirt. He picked it up, it was his old sleeping shirt. Under it was some rags and he used one with the water from the tub, before tossing it to the corner. Before he turned his attention back to the shirt, he wondered where it went. By then Eren had returned a large pincer holding a red-hot stone, he dropped it into the water, placing it in the rock bowl he was wonder was for at the base of the tub. It now made sense and Levi nodded at the clever idea. He lifted the shirt with a raised eyebrow to Eren, who blushed. “Sasha must have picked it up by mistake when she got a bag for me. I couldn’t bring myself to throw it out.” He took it from Levi’s hand and put it down. “The water should be good,” he stripped off, showing he never put underwear on and they climbed into the bath, Eren first, Levi reclining his back to Eren’s chest. He let Eren wash him, “I couldn’t look at your things,” he finally said. Eren paused as he washed Levi. “I got Ms Clare (Levi’s house keeper for those who don’t remember her from the 2nd chapter) to go through all your things, take all the scout clothes to the regiment. All your plain clothes, I didn’t care as long as they were gone, but I stopped her from taking one of your shirts. I buried it so deep in the closet I forgot it was there sometimes, but I just couldn’t sever you completely.” Levi snorted, “We are as bad as each other.”   
Eren chuckled, the warmth of the water, soothing them. “We are together again, that’s all that matters.”  
“And what of when Erwin orders us to leave?” Levi asked the question that had been floating around both of them.   
“Why don’t you stay here with me,” Eren said softly. Levi opened his mouth and Eren put his finger over it, “No, don’t answer that just yet, think on it, Levi, please.” Eren pushed Levi up and Eren slipped from the tub. He grabbed a towel and dried himself, then Levi when he got out. “I need to do a round today and scent mark,” he gave Levi a spare shirt of his, as he climbed back into his pants from yesterday, Eren’s were just to big. “Want to join me.”   
Levi nodded. So, they spent the day, Eren in titan form, Levi on his shoulder who gave him shit about rubbing against the trees. He flicked him with his ear in annoyance while huffing his laughter.   
*****  
The next few weeks were heaven for Eren, spending his days with Levi, or the 109th or Levi squad all taking turns at going on patrols with him, even Hange once, which he refused to do ever again. His nights spent with Levi, the older man complaining in the mornings that they weren’t teenagers anymore they didn’t need to fuck like rabbits anymore, but most of the time was the one who started their nightly trysts, not that Eren complained. But time was against him as well. Sasha was up and walking around, weak at the start, but getting stronger by the day. He had to face the fact that time was nearly up with the scouts and he had to do it now.   
It was midmorning, Levi already down at the scout’s camp, he drew a deep shuddering breath and he opened the hidden cavity and pulled out the three books. He placed them in a sash and tied it around his neck and straightened his shoulders, it was now or never. He made his way down to the scout’s camp, actually using the lifts, if anything to give himself a few more moments, grabbing Jhoel on his way down. He motioned to the 109th and Levi squad who were training, getting Sasha, Connie and the rest injured back up to speed.   
He asked Erwin, Levi, Hange and Mike to all join him and Jhoel. The sat around a small fire everyone looking confused at each other. Erwin could tell even Levi wasn’t in on it, from the look on Levi’s face even though he tried to hide it, but Jhoel was in on it, his face pinched.  
“I have been very selfish,” Eren started, his hands clasped tight over the books in his lap. “I just wanted to enjoy your company for awhile before, you had to go back.” He looked around the group, “No interruptions please not till I finish.” He watched as everyone nodded. “When I first got here I kept close to the village, but as time went by I started to wander. I was outside the wall, I was free, and everything that Armin,” he smiled at the man mentioned, “had told me about was fresh in my head, I wanted to see it all. But I never left the village alone for more than two days, so I couldn’t go to far. Over time I extended the range with my scent marks and the titans all but left most of the forest alone. But they still moved along the edges sometimes. I found what looked like the remains of an old road, so curiosity got to me and I followed it. I was about to give up after three days I found where it led, there was small piles of rubble, stone piles, I guessed might have been houses or at least small structures once. There was that much vines and small trees growing in them, it was hard to tell. So, I kept moving and then I came across a larger structure. It was once a castle, about the size of Castle Ugard. For the most part it was still standing, just the towers had collapsed. I found a small opening so I returned to human and I looked inside.”  
Levi snorted, “Idiot, what if it collapsed on you?”  
Eren just grinned, “It didn’t and it was worth it. Worth what I found.” He took a deep breath, “I found a basement, it was a lab, most of the stuff was broken, shattered glass everywhere, but books, lots of books full of pictures of humans and drawings made by people. And lots of cupboards, one was locked, nothing else was, so I broke into it. Inside was these,” he gestured to the books in his lap. I wondered why when everything else was thrown about and left where these locked up. I started to read them,” he shuddered, “they are not nice, they are the journals of a doctor.” He looked up at Erwin, “the doctor that made titans.”


	10. History's Truth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter had talking of experimenting on POWs I don’t go into real detail, reasonably vague but there is talk of it. I am using dates from World War 1. Heads up if no good for you.

_Eren just grinned, “It didn’t and it was worth it. Worth what I found.” He took a deep breath, “I found a basement, it was a lab, most of the stuff was broken, shattered glass everywhere, but books, lots of books full of pictures of humans and drawings made by people. And lots of cupboards, one was locked, nothing else was, so I broke into it. Inside was these,” he gestured to the books in his lap. I wondered why when everything else was thrown about and left where these locked up. I started to read them,” he shuddered, “they are not nice, they are the journals of a doctor.” He looked up at Erwin, “the doctor that made titans.”_

 

“WHAT?” Hange wiggled in her seat and reached across to take the books, Eren slapping her hand.

Erwin looked stunned along with the rest of the group, even Levi looked a bit wide eyed. “Why did you keep this from us for this long? We should have been told this the moment we got here,” Erwin was angry and even Levi nodded, his eyes sharp on Eren.

Eren looked down, his fingers picking at the cover of the book on top. “I told you, I was being selfish.” He shook his head at Erwin, “What is in here, is big, it is humanity changing information, but at the same time, it doesn’t make to much of difference, the outcome will be the same. No matter if it took another six weeks.”

Everyone around him began to speak over the top of each other, well except Levi who looked at him, like he was assessing him, which hurt him. His eyes must have showed something, because Levi let a tiny smile through and he nodded. Eren breathed a sigh of relief. “SHUT UP,” he roared over everyone. When silence came again, “I have read these books from cover to cover several times, so has Jhoel, if I or Jhoel had felt that they were THAT important, I would have made the trip back to the walls and had them given to you Erwin. No doubt the moment I was seen coming in titan form you would have been called the wall.” He stared at Erwin.

Erwin stared at Eren for some time, “Very well,” he nodded, “Continue, we will not interrupt you again.”

“The journals are all hand written by a scientist called Dr Ernst Dieter, him and his wife, were lead experimenters. It was war time 125 years ago, between humans, from the sounds of it, it was two countries against one another fighting over land.” Eren shook his head, “It is all very vague on that, just comments throughout that you have to make assessments off, maybe Hange you can work it out more than me. But either way it was war, and the leader a _Fuhrer,_ had teams of scientist across the country working on an elixir to make their own soldiers’ super beings. They had POW’s, prisoners of war, that they did experiments on.” Eren opened to a page marked by a leaf, not far in.

_December 18 th, 1915_

_First elixir trial_

_Day one of experiments._

_Subject 1,_

_Gender – Male_

_Age – 25_

_Nationality – English_

_Failed, died straight after injection. Autopsy shows heart attack. Formula must be too strong._

Eren closed the book, “It’s pages after pages of that.” He was shaking, his eyes flashed when he looked up. He picked up the first book, “This whole thing, human after human they experimented on. All failed, most died on the spot, they didn’t suffer at least, but many went crazy and they had to be shot or died slowly and painfully. One,” Eren shuddered, “they watched him for days as he spasmed, and screamed, finally he died, the autopsy said his heart gave out.” Eren shook his head. “Anyway, he put the first book beside him, and picked up the second book. “Five months it took, they found it.

_Day 156_

_We have done it, we have made the formula, it is not as perfected as we thought, but superiors are happy with the results even if we have no control over them._

_Subjects were injected with the elixir, they turned into giants, the first subject turned into a four-metre giant, the second subject turned into a six-metre giant. However, they are mindless attacking and killing the guards, only seeming to want to kill and eat humans. It took a tank and an explosive shell to kill them. The general didn’t even care that soldiers had died, or that the giants are mindless. The batch was the same formula, I don’t understand why the size difference in the men, more has to be done with this. But the general has ordered a whole batch to be made. We set the other scientist onto making more, whole casks of it. The plan is to drop the casks in the water in enemy towns, let them kill themselves. Wipe out entire cities using their own people as weapons. Sara and I work on a second formula, one we hope will let the human control his mind even when transformed._

_So far, no success.”_

Eren paused as he flicked through the book to the next page marked by a leaf.

_“Day 170_

_It has all gone wrong, so wrong. Some idiot dropped a whole cask into the water supply. The soldiers turned into giants. The village down the stream have turned into giants, all rampaging killing anyone who hasn’t drunk the water yet. There were 1000 soldiers and at last count 1906 citizens and 250 POWs left, I don’t know how many have been turned. We hide down here, hearing the grunts and moans of the giants, their footsteps are shaking the foundations. I have hidden all our research down here. If anyone finds this the neck of a titan is its weak point, cut it out and you will kill them. Sara and I had been working on another formula in secret, but we only have enough for two needles. It is our only hope, this will be my last entry, whether or not the solution works, we will be mindless titans, or hopefully the formula is right and we will be able to maintain our human minds. Good luck to anyone who finds these journals and our research, we failed humanity, we failed life, we only created monsters, I hope this is never forgotten._

_Dr Ernst Dieter”_

“There are no more entries past this point,” Eren flicks the rest of the journal, only blank pages flickered past. “I have no idea what happened, but a good guess is that they got the formula right at least.”

The rest of the group sat in stunned silence, “That’s a fucking lot of titans,” Connie finally said.

Everyone shivered, as Eren nodded, “We know from the journal not everyone would have been turned into a titan before being eaten by a titan, but at most I guessed that there would be between 2500 and 3156 titans, but that is if the infected water didn’t go downstream more and turn even more people into titans, we just don’t know.”

The horror, of what titans were and how they were created silenced the scouts, one person even stumbled from the group and vomited.

“The good thing is, I suppose, is there is a limited number of titans out there.” Eren picked up the first book and handed them over to Erwin. The man just setting them in his lap, his hands folded over them. Hange glaring at them greedily. He picked up the last book, he got Hange’s attention. “I give you this book Hange, with one massive condition.” He looked down at it momentarily, before staring back at the scientist, who had a serious look on her face none of her deranged smiles. “This is the formula for the mindless titans. All the failed attempts and finally at the end is the one that works, making the mindless titans. My condition is that you NEVER EVER, do any of these on anyone, no humans no animal experiments. The only reason I give this to you is the slight chance that you might be able to reverse what has been done. They were once all people, humans like us. But I believe that it is to late for them, but I have to give you a chance.”

Hange nodded and gave a salute over her chest, “I give you my word Eren, that I will never, could never do that to a human.” She took the book from Eren and to everyone’s surprise she didn’t immediately flick through it.

Eren nodded, “I would have thrown it into the fire if I didn’t trust you Hange.”

“Hange,” Erwin frowned, “You have opened titans before, you never saw anything even remotely human in them, did you?”

“No nothing?” Hange shook her head, everyone could see her mind working overtime. “I wonder,” she pouted and pated her lips. “I have an idea, I must think on this.” She moved to stand when Eren stopped her.

“There is more.” Eren said and Hange settled back down. He pointed to the books in Erwins lap, “We seem to live on a very, very large island, if they are to be believed. The titans are contained on this island our island. If this is true and the titans are only contained to the 3000 number we have a chance.” Eren stared at Erwin.

Erwin nodded, “This is good news, we have to get this back to city, have to inform the king on what you have shown us.”

“Wait, wait, anyone thinking on the numbers of titans we were just told?” Connie stood, “How many of us scouts die every time we kill one titan? How are we expected to kill thousands on them?”

“Yes, but how many have been killed since they were created 125 years ago?” Armin stated. “How many have been killed by us, by the past scouts? There would have to be lots of killed titans already.

Jhoel who had been silent till then spoke, “Since his time here with us, I have recorded every kill Eren has made. In the five years Eren has taken down 682 titans.”

Everyone blinked at stared at Eren in awe.

“How did you manage that?” Sasha asked.

Eren shrugged, “At the start, titans where everywhere, I just killed them, when they come in groups its not that hard getting the kill that high, don’t forget I am a titan shifter, and I am out here, titans came nearly every day at the start. But after reading this, we, Jhoel and I started to wonder if it wasn’t just my scent marking that was keeping titans away, what if it was also the fact their numbers are just being brought down.”

“Then what about the fact we are starting to get high numbers attacking the city walls again, and that some are able to climb?” Gunther queried.

“What if it is Eren?” Armin rubbed his chin, “What if Eren had scared away the titans in the area, they are hungry so they come looking for more humans and with so many in the cities they can smell us from far away. The fact that some climb, maybe they are just more abnormals that we haven’t seen before.”

At that stage Hange started to bounce on her spot her arms waving.

“If you need to shit, just go no need to share it with us,” Levi shot at her.

Hange just poked her tongue out, at him, “We can know how many titans we have killed, every mission ever taken by the scouts, every titan kill, recorded, every garrison kill recorded to.”

Erwin turned to Sasha, “How is your leg? Capable of riding for several days?”

Sasha straightened, “Yes sir, I am good to go.”

“Everyone, get ready, we ride out tomorrow first light, tell the camp to be ready.” He stood, “Many thanks to you Jhoel,” he waited for the man to stand and shook his hand, the books tucked safely under his other arm.

Jhoel just smiled, “anytime for a fellow human.”

The scouts all stood and started off letting the rest of the scouts know they were leaving in the morning.

“Wait,” Hange paused as she turned back to Eren after standing. “The titan shifter formula, obviously worked. Otherwise there wouldn’t be shifters like you Eren. But how did you become a shifter?”

Eren shrugged, “Dad obviously somehow got his hands on the formula, remember my house was burnt, the basement was destroyed. We will never truly know. Then there was Annie, Bertolt and Reiner, Ymir and whoever was in the beast titan, there must have been copies of those books, who knows.”

“But the doctor never wrote anything more in his diary?” Erwin frowned.

“Nothing else, but the formula clearly worked,” he pointed at himself, “The doctor and his wife or one of them obviously survived, maybe they got away, reproduced the formula, maybe they wrote more books, they could be out there, I didn’t find any of them in the ruins, maybe they took only that book with the formula.” Eren shrugged.

“Very well, it will be a mystery,” Erwin nodded once more to Jhoel and walked off, Hange beside him, sprouting idea after idea off.

Eren remained sitting, Levi across from him the only one left, Jhoel squeezed Eren’s shoulder before moving off to get the villagers ready for the departure of the scouts. He had a feeling that some of the scouts would be staying, many relationships had started whilst the scouts had been here, he glanced back at the couple still sitting beside the fire. He hoped that, was one person who was staying.

Eren stared down at his hands as Levi stood, Eren winced. But Levi just sat down beside him.

“What now?” he asked finally, he looked at Levi whose steel eyes stared back at him.

“I need to help them back to the wall, they need all their best fighters.”

Eren felt like the floor fell out from under him, he just swallowed, he nodded and turned his head away, standing he couldn’t look at Levi, “I suppose this is it.” He went to take a step away when a hand grabbed his. Levi was up beside him fast, “Why, don’t you join us?”

Eren shook his head, “I can’t this is my home now Levi,” he shook his hand free, “That place will never accept me, will never let me be me. I can never return there.” His shoulders slumped, “I had hoped you would want to stay, we could be happy here, together.” He smiled at Levi, tears already filling his eyes but not falling yet, “You always did say I was a dreamer.”

“Oh, for fucks sake Eren,” Levi snarled suddenly, he grabbed Eren’s hand and pulled him back towards him. “I can’t leave them to fight their way back to the wall, without their strongest scout.” He pointed towards the village, “But I want to live with you, I want to stay here, I lost you once Eren Yeager, I will not let some stupid thing tear us apart again. I don’t want to be without you again.”

A smile split Eren’s face, “But,” the smile dropped, “You will go with them?”

“Stupid boy,” Levi shook his head, “Come with us, come and find out the results of what you learned in those books, find out just how close we are to winning against the titans. Then let’s leave together, come back here, live together.”

Eren was stunned, he had never thought of that, it was only here, with Levi or no Levi. “I didn’t think I would ever go back.” He said softly.

Levi pulled him into his body. “One last trip for both of us.”

Eren nodded and he kissed Levi, “one last trip.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so the idea is that the world was like normal up til WW1. Except the bit that they are on a giant island, and not mainland europe. Then the doctor made the serum that made the titans, then all hell broke lose. Time goes on counting from the titan era, right up til now. I hope it wasn't to confusing.


	11. Return

It was a grueling four-day march, Jhoel had been correct not all of the scouts left a handful stayed behind, handing their cloaks into Erwin, with their resignations. Eren had been in titan form for most of the day, running alongside the horses, sometimes sprinting ahead to take care of titans, more and more the closer to the wall they got. By the time the sun fell Eren was exhausted, Levi forcing him to eat, before he was rolled up into a sleeping bag and a tent, no one letting him take any of the jobs of setting up or even breaking down the camp. Allowing him to sleep till they left, Levi against forcing him to eat, before he transformed again. Due to Eren’s work, not a single scout was lost when they made their way through the gates at Shiganshina.

Eren hesitated at the gate, he so badly wanted to turn and run back in the other direction, back to the village and Jhoel who had wished him a safe journey and they looked forward to when he came back. But Levi waited for him and he crawled through the gate, it slamming behind him. His muscles quaked as he stood. Shiganshina had changed a lot since he left, all the buildings that had been destroyed rebuilt, not a sign was left of when the titans had first attacked.

“-Eren?” Levi called up to Eren, but the titan was looking around his eyes wide. Realising Eren was not far from a panic attack, which was not great in this form, he used his gear and shot up to Eren’s shoulder.

“Calm down, Eren, I’m here, okay.” Levi placed his hand on Eren’s cheek, a large green eye staring at him. Levi frowned, “We can go right now Eren, turn around ago leave those gates, we got the scouts here safe, we don’t have to find out about the numbers of titans. We don’t have to know if Hange can reverse the formula.” The look Eren shot at him made Levi grin. “Alright then Eren, come out of titan form, you are to big to go tramping around the city.”

Eren grunted and raised a hand for Levi to jump on and he set him on the ground, before pulling himself out of the titan.  Levi smiled at him and set his forehead against Eren’s “You okay?”

Eren nodded, “I will be fine. So, what’s the plan, I fell asleep as Erwin was plotting – sorry” he grinned at Levi’s frown, “planning last night.”

“We are to head to Trost, and the scouting den, I would say word has already been spread, from the way that they runner took off from Erwin before. I say there will be a welcome committee for you.”

Eren screwed his nose up at the idea. “Hope not,” he muttered, as he climbed up onto a horse wobbling, he was tired, and sore, three whole days and almost a forth spent all day as a titan had exhausted him. Levi climbed up behind him. “Sleep if needed,” Eren didn’t need to be told twice, his eyes staying opened long enough to see Erwin give the orders to continue on.

Eren woke to a jolt, he blinked as he sat up. They were in the middle of a field, it was brown and not a crop grew in site. He frowned as he looked around. “Where are we?” Armin rode in the wagon with him.

“We are on the way to Trost. We said that there was a famine, no crops growing.” Armin said.

Eren looked with sad eyes at the once green rolling crops were non-existent, only brown waste land.

“Hopefully, we get rain, it should start everything again,” Armin watched Eren. “We are only a few hours from Trost, get more rest if you need it.”

Eren looked around he saw Levi up in the lead with Erwin, he nodded to Armin and laid back down, closing his eyes so he didn’t have to look upon the barren waste land anymore. He slipped back into sleep.

****

“Eren,” a hand shook his shoulder. He blinked his eyes and he woke, Levi was shaking his shoulder as he looked around still half asleep. They where passing through the tunnel under the wall into Trost. “Get up, Eren” Levi shook him again. “There is a welcoming committee alright, there are MP’s and Garrison and even some officials waiting to welcome you back.”

That woke Eren quickly and he sat up. Arching his back, he felt it pop and he straightened himself up. “To bad I’m not staying.”

The very same official that had handed his sentence stood at the front of the crowd that had gathered. Erwin moved forward and spoke quickly with the man before giving a salute and motioned Eren forward.

Levi felt Eren tense beside him, his hand moved over and clapped the taller man on his shoulder, “Calm down,’ he said softly, “You aren’t staying remember, don’t lose your cool.”

Eren nodded as he moved forward, he stopped in front of the official but didn’t say anything.

The fat man looked him over, before smiling, “Eren Yeager, I am happy to revoke your banishment and all past crimes will be revoked and welcome you back to the city. Of course, the conditions are that you re-join the Scouts and help with defeating titans once more.”

Eren nodded, “Thank you, but I will not be taking you up on your offer, I only returned to see that the scouts returned to the walls safely and to see the results of the information that I learned whilst outside.”

The official pursed his lips and he started to turn red and a lovely prune shade. “GUARDS.” He yelled, “Obtain this individual. Under the grounds of his sentence, if he ever set foot back in the walls of Mitras, it was a death sentence.”

“You don’t want to do that,” Eren growled, his eyes flashing as he eyed up the Military Police that had moved up.

The MP’s looked at one another uncertainly, as they edged forward, but all froze, fear in their eyes, when Levi unsheathed his blades and moved up with Eren.

“Minister,” Erwin barked, “Eren has given us invaluable information in the defeat of the titans, he is here long enough to see what the outcome is. It could possibly be the piece of information that we have been waiting for that frees us all from the titans. I invited him back in the city, on the fact that he is to remain by the side of a senior scout’s member at all times. He is not to wander the city on his own at all, he will be living on scout’s territory until such time that he leaves the wall again.”

“And how long will that be?” The official sneered.

“A week or two at most.” Erwin stated.

But all around was the whispered words, ‘freedom,’ ‘end of titans’ ‘can it be true.’ The word would be around the city in a few hours.

The official watched as the assembled mass, it would be to hard to contain this and if word got out that Eren Yeager had saved them once more and he was imprisoned there could be a riot on his hands. “Very well.” He turned and left after glaring at the abomination that was Eren Yeager.  

Levi stared down the MP’s that quickly disappeared off following the official.

“Sorry Eren, the best I could do on the spot,” Erwin said as he moved over. “You will have to be seen with either Levi, Mike, Hange or I from now on.”

Eren shrugged, “No problems, but Levi and I were going to stay at his house.”

Erwin nodded, “Its owned by a scout, so therefore scout territory.” He smirked, “Nor can I see the officials to worried.”

“EREN,” Armin yelled out, a happy smile on his face as a young woman holding the hand of child came over.

Eren smiled happily, “I take this is Diana and Eryn.” The boy had his fathers’ eyes and looks, blonde hair over blue eyes. He was shy as he hid behind his mothers’ skirts, his eyes staring at Eren before sliding over and seeing Mikasa. “Mika,” he cried out happily as he ducked away from his mother and ran over to Mikasa, who laughed as he grabbed him in mid step and threw him up in the air, his laughs turning into happy squeals, “Higher,” he called. Mikasa laughing as she threw him up again, catching him smoothly.

Eren smiled, “She is happy,” he said softly.

“Yes, she loves that boy,” Armin slung his arm around Eren’s back and over Diana’s shoulder kissing her on her cheek.

“I’m glad, I was worried back in the forest, when she said that she lived with you and didn’t have anyone, but she has you three, thankyou for taking care of her.” He turned and hugged both Armin and Diana into him.

Diana laughing as she was squished. “Armin, I know you said he was handsy.”

Eren blushed and he released both of them, “So-sorry,” he stuttered.

The woman laughed, “Armin has told me so much of you,” she smiled, “it’s almost like I already know you, even though we have never met. You have to come over for dinner whilst you are here.”  

Eren grinned, “Of course, but tonight I am just going to relax with Levi.” Sasha wolf whistled in the back, Eren shooting her an annoyed look, “How about tomorrow?”

Diana nodded, “Done,” she looked over to Mikasa and Eryn who was sitting on her shoulders. “You two go and do what you have to back at the scout den, then back to our house, I will have a hot meal and baths ready for you. Eryn” she raised her hands to grab the young boy. He shook his head and clutched at Mikasa tighter. “NO,” he yelled, “I want to go with Aunty Mika.”

Eren snorted, Mikasa kicked him, he laughed as he hobbled, hands clutching at his shin.

Diana frowned, “Mikasa and daddy have to go back to work.”

“Can I go with you Aunty.” Eryn begged Mikasa, his eyes pleading down at her.

She smiled softly, after sending a warning glare at Eren who snorted again, this time from behind Levi. “You have to promise to behave, and do everything that I tell you to do.”

“Pinky promise,” little Eryn held his hand down little finger in the air, Mikasa linked her own finger through his and shook it.

Diana nodded, “Very well, you behave for Mikasa,” she said.

Mikasa grinned as she glared at Eren who was sniggering so hard his shoulders were vibrating. “I was going to offer to take Captain Levi’s horse for him, and take care of it, letting you to go back to his, but I don’t think I will now.”

Eren’s face fell, as Mikasa stomped off, her back turned to him, so he didn’t see the sly smile as she gathered her horse and started moving off with the other scouts.

Armin laughed at him, “I will take him Captain.”

Levi thanked him, and they watched as caught up with the rest.

“I am not saving your arse, when Ackerman decides to get you back for all the sniggering.” Levi stated.

Eren burst out into full laughing, “I would never have believed someone if they said that Mikasa would be an Auntie or make a pinkie promise.”

Levi shook his head and turned away, “Your funeral,” he said, “Come on, I want a bath, clean clothes and a soft bed.”

 

***

Ms Clare was exactly as Eren remembered her, maybe a few more creases in her face and bit greyer in her hair, but the same caring and loving woman who hugged him the moment she had seen them. She had heard of their return and had a hot dinner waiting for them, gathering their packs from them, she bid them a good evening and had left early to give them space.

Six days, six beautiful and completely frustration days with Levi passed, spent in bliss at Armin, Diana and Mikasa’s house, little Eryn opening up to him, the rest lived on base, so a few dinners were spent there. The frustration came in form of the constant watch from the MP’s following him everywhere. Even sitting out the front, sides and back of Levi’s house. Several invites had come from the palace, but Eren had politely turned them all down.

One evening they had invited Ms Clare to stay with them for dinner.

_“Ms Clare,” Levi started, “You have been the best house keeper I have had here.”_

_The woman sat straighter and looked slightly distraught. “Am I fired?” she asked._

_“What? No,” Levi raised an eyebrow as the woman relaxed. “No, I am rewarding you for all your years of service. I have no family, no one except Eren. Eren is leaving the moment that Hange gets a result from her studies and I will be going with him, it is highly unlikely that we will be returning.” He pushed a wad of papers over the table that was sitting in front of him. “I have signed the house over into your name, do with it what you want to once I have left. You can live here, or sell it. The bulk of my wealth is to be signed over into your name as well, Erwin has that paperwork, I don’t need money where I am going.”_

_Ms Clare gaped like a fish; her eyes wide. Suddenly she burst into tears Levi looked uncomfortable as the woman rounded the table and hugged him. He pated her on the back as Eren smirked at him over the table. “Thank you, Levi,” Ms Clare said as she released him and stepped back. “I won’t sell it, I promise, I will live here.”_

_Levi huffed, “Do want you want with it, it’s only four walls and a roof.”_

_“And memories,” Ms Clare calmed herself. “I know I will see you again before you go, but the best of luck out there.”_

They spent the night talking about where they were going. Ms Clare admitted that it sounded nice but she liked the convivence and the life of the city. 

**

One day Eren joined the 109th squad training, he climbed into 3DMG, admitting that he hadn’t used it since the day he had left. He managed okay at the start, holding his balance very well, but he had over shot one of his grapples and smashed face first into one of the obstacles to the amusement of everyone around him. He had just laughed along with everyone, and kept trying, cheating a little as he lightened his body and flew even quicker and faster through the course once he remembered how to use the gear again.

**

Hange had all but barricaded herself in her lab from the moment they got back, Moblit the only reason why she ate, drank or even slept. But finally, after a week she emerged from her lab.  

Levi was in a meeting with Erwin when she emerged, looking absolutely exhausted and drained. She spotted their group and moved over to them, “Where’s Levi and Erwin?”

“Having a meeting,” Eren pointed towards the window of Erwin’s room.

“Get them,” she turned, “Bring them to the lab,” and went back into her lab.

“This isn’t good,” Jean said as he stood, “She isn’t a raving loon, she can’t have good news. I will go get the captain and the commander.”

Eren stood with the others, Connie and Sasha hesitating, before they stopped him.

“Eren a quick word,” Connie said.

Nodding Eren waited patiently.

Connie and Sasha smiled at each other, Sasha laid her hand on her belly, “I’m pregnant.” She said as Connie beamed. “It’s only early a couple of weeks, but I don’t want to have a baby here, what you have, what we had in that forest for those few weeks. I want our baby,” she grabbed onto Connie’s hand, “to grow up free, to choose a life how they want.”

Eren laughed “Congratulations,” he hugged both Connie and Sasha.

“Whatever happens, whatever the outcome, we want to go with you, is it okay?”

“Of course,” Eren paused, “I think that we will be leave tomorrow afternoon, can you be ready by then?”

Connie and Sasha nodded, “We thought that they may be the case, we have had bags packed for the last few days since we talked to each other about it. Are two bags each okay, it is a double saddle pack?”

Eren nodded, “Make sure you have a long leather strap with a clasp.” He went on to explain how the hunting parties plated his hair and attached bags to them. Connie and Sasha nodded. By then Jean was back with Levi and Erwin.

Levi looked at raised eyebrow, he smiled and leaned over, “I’ll explain later, but we will have company on the way back.”

Levi frowned but nodded, his eyes on Sasha and Connie, but his frown turned to sheer disgust at the sight of the lab. It was usually a mess, but this looked like a disaster zone, paper was everywhere, broken glass in the corner where it looked like Hange had thrown a beaker against the wall.

Hange themselves was a wreak, hair so oily, it glistened, black circles under their eyes. “There is no cure,” they said defeated tone. “It’s permanent, no turning them back.”  

Eren walked forward, “We knew that was a chance, we knew that it is highly unlikely that you would be able to find anything.”

Hnage nodded, “I just wanted to find it, find the cure.” She pointed at a huge pile of paper, the books with it. “That’s all of it Eren, all of my work all of my results. I will burn it later, but first.” They picked up a paper full of numbers and handed it to Moblit. “Your work, you tell them.”

“I-ah” the man cleared his throat, “I have found all the numbers of titans killed by the scouts, including all the numbers from Eren in his time outside the wall. Gathering the information that we have. I roughly estimate that there is between 300 and 500 titans left, this is unknowing if the water went on and infected more outside of the people in the journal.”

Silence filled the room. All those years of fighting, deaths of fellow soldiers, it all had come to this.

Eren was the first to break the silence, “Well that’s it, I have the answers, it’s time for me to return home.”

“Eren?” Erwin turned, “Why don’t you stay help us, there is only 300 to 500 left, with you, we can kill them quicker, free humanity faster.”

“I have done my part Erwin; I am leaving tomorrow afternoon, as long as this works for you Levi?”

Levi nodded, they had been ready for days themselves, bags packed with the few clothes they wanted to take a just a few personal things he didn’t want to leave. The rest was up to Ms Clare to sell or giveaway, with the exception of the scout’s gear which she would return to Erwin when she went and got the paperwork for his bank accounts.

Eren looked at Connie and Sasha.

The bald man stepping forward. “Commander,” Connie and Sasha performed the salute. “We are resigning from this moment; we are going with Eren and Levi back to the forest.”

Erwin narrowed his eyes; Sasha placed her hand on her belly and his eyes widened in recognition of that move. “I believe congratulations are in order. As commander of the Survey Corps, I Erwin Smith thank you Connie Springer and Sasha Blouse, for all your years of service.”

“Right lets destroy it all now,” Eren grabbed the diaries from the pile of papers, “I don’t trust this government, I could see them using this,” he waved the diary in the air, “To make more titans, I don’t want to see that happen.” The group watched as he walked outside and threw the first book into the fire. Hange was almost in tears at the sight of the book burning, they hated seeing research no matter how foul or disgusting being destroyed. But they also understood, this information was to dangerous, they grabbed a pile of paper and marched outside, throwing them on the fire watching the papers curl with the heat before lighting up. The rest all gathered up papers and files, slowly feeding them into the fire, the group silent as they watched all the research burn. Hange and probably the rest of the group, just hoped that there was no more books out there for titans, and if there was no one stupid enough to make more.

Eren grimanced when the last page disappeared into ash. “It’s done,” he held his hand out for Levi, who took it. “Anyone who is coming with us, have everything ready and meet us at the gate at 2pm, we will leave from there.” He turned together he and Levi walked off, saying they were going home and making sure that they had all they really needed.

The younger scouts went off with Connie and Sasha, leaving Mike, Erwin, Hange and Moblit behind.

“Erwin,” Mike turned to face the man. “I to wish to go with Eren and Levi, I am tired,” he bowed his head. “I am tired of the fighting, watching the young ones dying around me, tried of walking through the city and seeing the everyone with a family, husbands and wives together laughing and wishing I had that. I don’t regret my years of service, and I honestly thought that I would die fighting the titans, but I want more.” He took a breath and stared straight at Erwin, “and I found more. It was supposed to be a dalliance, just some fun, but Maya,” he shrugged. “We spoke before we left, she asked me to stay, I said after what Eren had told us I needed to know. We have, I can help kill titans out there, help Eren and Levi out there, but I want more than just fighting and death.” He took a deep breath and removed his cloak. “This is my resignation as well,” he handed his cloak over to Erwin.

“I think I am beginning to regret ever going into that damn forest,” but Erwin grinned, “Losing my best soldiers. But you are right my friend, I don’t blame you, watching the young ones die as we linger isn’t easy, I cut myself from it, became cold and callous towards life. That village showed me, reminded me of how life could be, _should be._ Not this city and the walls.” He held his hand out and shook Mike’s hand. “I hope you get everything you deserve. And you never know, when all this over I just might come out there to.”

Mike snorted, “You would be bored in no time flat Erwin.” Hange laughed as she moved up beside him, slinging their arms over them. “Come on, one last night of drinking on me.”

The pair left, not noticing the dark shape on the roof that shifted from their hiding spot. The shape morphed into the form of a human, umping down and approached the fire. Looking for anything the scouts had missed and to her luck a scrunched-up ball had fallen out of the fire, only the edges singed. Leaping back up to the rooftop and opened up the page and on it was markings of what looked like a formula she grinned, “Got yah,” she muttered and headed back towards the MP’s headquarters.

**

“Kenny,” Traute said as she moved through the throng of MP’s and up to the man sitting his feet resting on the table in front of him. “Eren Yeager, Levi Ackerman, Sasha Blouse, Connie Springer and Mike Zacharias are planning to leave the city tomorrow at 2pm.” She handed over the paper, “Them including Commander Erwin Smith, Hange Zoe and Moblit where burning whatever the scientist was researching, they missed this. Look,” she pointed to the top of the page, _Titan Formula Test Five,_ in what she assumed was Hange’s writing.

Kenny began to laugh, “Get the squad, we are hunting in the morning. I have to go talk to the higher ups.” 


	12. Treason

The MP’s filled the streets very early in the morning, knocking on doors all over the city, one came on the door of Armin and Diana Arlert, “OPEN UP IN THE NAME OF THE KING!” Came the bark from the other side.

Mikasa was already starting to tear down the stairs, when Armin appeared, he shook his hand, telling her to go back upstairs, using the scouts signal to hide. He made sure she was out of sight before opening the door.

Slipping back up the stairs, Mikasa hurriedly pulled on the straps of her 3DMG, pulling the straps tight quickly, her ears perked listening to the commotion from downstairs. “Armin Arlert, you are under arrest, for high treason against the crown,” the MP said as he grabbed Armin and pulled his arms behind his back.  
“What for?” Diana cried out as she watched her husband being arrested.

“Armin Arlert has been seen conspiring and hiding information with the traitor Eren Yeager, from the crown. Important information involving the titans and their creation.” The MP stared down that the woman.

“Mummy?” Eryn asked as he rubbed his eyes as he came out of his bedroom, “Wha- aping?” he asked tiredly through a yawn.

“It’s okay darling,” Diana rushed over to him and picked Eryn up.

“You are Armin’s wife and child are you not?” MP asked

“Yes, I am,” Diana nodded.

“You to are being placed under arrest, for observation, as a flight risk. If you come quietly, you will not be chained. Do you understand?”

“Yes,” Diana nodded her eyes widened, as she was pulled along by another MP a woman.

“Where is Mikasa Ackerman, she is noted to be living at this address, where is she?”

“She didn’t come home last night, she doesn’t stay here every night,” Armin said calmly.

“This is her address, her home, don’t lie,” the man smacked Armin hard in the gut.

Armin curled up wheezing.

“It’s true,” Diana stepped forward, “She sometimes stays out all night, we believe that she has a boyfriend but that is her business, we never ask.”

The MP grunted, “Check the house, she had better not be here,” the MP growled.

Feet clattered up the stairs and Mikasa dashed to the window and jumped, her gear flinging herself over the top of the next building using only momentum to not make a sound till she thought that she was far enough from the house. She had to warn the rest of the scouts and Eren and Levi.

Her movements fast as she went from house to house that she knew belonged to the scouts between Armin’s house and the scout den. All had MP’s standing out the front and the streets were filled with MP’s forcing scouts chained towards the scout den. Snarling silently, she flew through the air and landing on the scout’s rooftop. There in the centre of the courtyard was already people on their knees, guns pointing into their faces. Erwin, Mike, Hange, Moblit, Sasha and Connie all knelt, along with Jean and his girlfriend, and the entire Levi squad. The rest of the scouts being ordered to stay in their rooms if they knew what was good for them.

She had to get to Eren.

***

Eren looked out the window, none of the MP’s that had been watching them for the last week could be seen. He closed the curtain and moved into the kitchen walking up behind Levi who was fixing them a cup of tea. Draping his body over Levi he leaned into him. “Seems like the government is finally leaving us alone, maybe they got the message, but how many times do I have to say no, before they get the picture that I am not going to go up to the castle and see the King.” He kissed Levi behind his ear and started to make his way down his neck, kitchen kisses the entire way down. Levi grunted, thinking that it wasn’t right, the MP’s didn’t just give up that easily. Ran in the opposite direction when things got tough, yes, but give up so easily without a fight on something they thought that they would win, no, something was wrong. He tilted his head, giving Eren more room as he made his way down his neck, “What do you want to do today? He asked as Eren’s hands fiddled with his buttons on his shirt.

“I was thinking of staying in,” Eren’s hands wandered into the opening of the shirt and across pale skin. “We leave later today so why not make the most of the last day in your house?” He started to peel Levi of his shirt, when a body came hurtling threw the open kitchen window.

“This had better be good Ackerman, barging into my house this early in the morning,” Levi growled as he did his shirt up rapidly and smoothing it down, any erection disappearing quickly.

“The MP’s have arrested everyone, they came to Armin’s house, they have taken Armin under high treason, and Diana and Eryn just by the mere fact that they know you, Eren. I slipped out the window, everyone who has a private house has either under house arrest or they are currently kneeling in the courtyard of the scout den all in handcuffs.”

 “I thought it was to good to be true,” Levi muttered to Eren as he moved over to the stand that held his backup 3DMG and weapons. He asked Mikasa to give detail of everything she had seen, right down to the fact that it looks like the MP’s had just used the standard hand cuffs. Levi grinned viciously at that. “We have three options, we give up like they clearly want,” his tone said what he thought of that idea. “Two we leave right now, and hope that with our leaving they let the others go,” Eren snorted, and muttered, ‘yeah right.’

“The third, we fight, but we have to do this right, they have hostages, and more than likely a team heading to this house right now to come and collect us. Ackerman, can you get back to the scout’s unseen, go to the men in the quarters, they are to get to the horses, get them saddled and if possible, packs filled with supplies, don’t worry about any heavy stuff like tents, just the essentials. Get our cuff keys and get them amongst our men in the courtyard. I’m sure they can figure out what to do.” He looked at Eren, “We are going to create a distraction, I’m sure Erwin will figure out a good time to break free and get them out of there, tell him he is to get to the gates. We are going to leave all of us, the government has gone crazy if they think that they can take on the scouts like this and win.”

Eren and Mikasa nodded firmly, before she took off Levi handed her both of their bags, telling her to strap them onto a horse if can, before she went back out the window heading in a circle back to the headquarters in case anyone was watching.

“You ready?” Levi asked as he strapped on his blade cases.

“Let’s give them hell,” Eren grinned, his eyes flashing, “Remind them, just who the decided the fuck to mess with.”

Levi smirked and he grabbed Eren’s collar, “No heroics,” he muttered and kissed Eren hard.

“Same back,” Eren kissed Levi harder, pulling him up against him.

A few minutes later they left through the back door, Levi placing his house key and the last of the papers for his deeds all now in the name of the housekeeper in the lock box that only Ms Clare had a copy to. He locked the door from the inside and they slipped away from the back door and into the back streets.

They didn’t get far before the first bullet had them ducking for cover into an alley.

“You sure haven’t grown much runt,” a voice called out from the front of the alley. Eren watched Levi’s face twist into one of the angriest snarls he had ever seen. “Kenny,” the man growled.

“The one that took you in as a child, your uncle?” Eren asked as he scanned the gloom.

“The very same,” Levi snarled.

“Come on out rats, we have you surrounded, come out with your hands up and away from any weapons, your hands drop you will be shot.” Kenny called out.

“What the fuck are you doing working for the MP’s Kenny? You used to kill them on sight.” Levi called out. He was pointing out people to Eren as he eyes scanned the roofs around them.

“I am Captain of the Anti-personnel squad now brat, helping the MP’s take down trouble makers like you and your friends.” Kenny yelled down to them.

There was at least ten people surrounding them. Levi motioned for Eren to bite his hand, Eren nodded and he stood tall, he started to vibrate with excitement. He was going to enjoy this, Levi told him everything about what his ‘uncle’ had done for him. His teeth bit hard into his hand and steam shot out everywhere. Levi covered his face as the steam filled the air, but before it had finished settling, he could feel the size of Eren high above him. He pulled blades from his holder and shot his grapples up and hung from Eren’s hip.

Eren felt the bite of the grapples at his hip and he screamed. Around him the men stumbled from their hiding spots, firing their weapons at him, they barely hurt as they were designed for humans and not titans. He swiped his arm, collecting with a man as he flew through the air on his gear, the man was forced into the building behind him, the angle he laid at said his spine had snapped. Eren screamed again. “LEAVE AND WE WON’T KILL YOU,” Levi called from his place at Eren’s hip.

More shots followed and Levi shot away from Eren, twisting and moving his body limber through the maze of buildings, behind him Eren shrieked again as he strode forward, the buildings crumbling under his bulk. His eyes fixed on the three enemy that had shot out following him. He led them away from Eren twisting and turning.

***

Mikasa slipped into the barracks, all the men and women were up and talking confused with each other.

“Captain Levi, says that we are leaving all of us, if you wish. Stay in these rooms if you don’t want to join us, but the city is no longer safe for anyone who is a scout, there are warrants of arrest for high treason. We are going to leave in one large group back to the forest where we found Eren.” The scouts barely looked at each other before nodding, it was shit the way the MP’s were treating them. “What does Captain want us to do.”

Mikasa explained the plan quickly.

“Right,” one of the men turned to the others, he snapped names out and told them to get the stables, more names to the kitchens. Right then the ground shook and a loud scream tore through the air. Terry turned and looked at Mikasa, “Go, get out of here, go and help the Captain and Eren.”

Terry led the procession down the stairs to where the MP’s stood guarding the door, “I told you to stay inside,” the man snarled levelling the weapon directly at Terry’s chest.

Terry puffed himself up, “the horses still need to be seen to, the men still need to be fed, let us do our jobs.”

The MP hesitated a moment, “Very well, the stables and the kitchens only.”

Terry nodded to several of the men and women and they moved off to the kitchens, one moving to the well, starting to pump water up filling the container set beside it.

Terry walked with the rest to the stables, he set most to saddling the horses and getting the saddle bags onto the back. The sneakiest of the group, slipped in and out of the stables grabbing supplies from the sheds out the back that held all the gear for trips outside the walls, then filling the saddle bags on said supplies. The rest including himself, started to muck out the stalls, deliberately placing the pee and shit filled straw near the entrance to the stable, and sure enough the MP’s made a wide berth around it, not even checking on the men making sure they were only doing as they should be. If even one had checked they would have seen all the horses in the process on being saddled and they resistance would be over before it started. But they really were fools.   

Sally grinned as she appeared with all the keys, they had for cuffs roughly twenty, more than enough for those kneeling chained outside, now all they had to do was get them to the men. “Here,” she took a pitcher of water, with enough water for two or three people inside it. Before frowning and put it down again and unbuttoned a couple of the top buttons on her shirt. She wasn’t an overly large woman, but her breast still ample enough to get attention.  Slipping three keys into her hand she went up the MP standing watch over the kneeling squad. She blinked lashes at the man and smiled shyly sideways at him, she was a gorgeous woman and normal she would kick the shit out of anyone who treated like a tart, but now she used her looks to the advantage. Sweet talking the guard he allowed her to give water to the kneeling scouts. Deliberately bending over to show her backside to the man she gave water to the first man, slipping them keys as she went into their mouths, hoping they didn’t swallow them. All of them flashing understanding looks in their eyes as she watered them. Sally went back and filled the pitcher, now just the rest.

*****

Eren shrieked as his head whipped to the side, the man managed to get a shot off into his eye. It hurt, his hand coming up to swipe at the barb that stuck out of eyeball, he shrieked again as he tugged it free, his left side blinded temporarily. He growled the pain not enough to stop him from his hunt for those after him, but the four left were smart they stayed in his blind spot. He growled as he spun trying to chase them, but they were fast. A black blur past his face and he grumbled as they collided mid-air with one his enemies the man falling from the sky his throat slashed.

Mikasa rolled through the air as she slit the throat of the man, her eyes looking for the next person before the body had even finished falling.

Eren shrieked as another barb filled his right eye, who ever was shooting was a hell of a shot. He wailed as he pulled the second barb out, he was blind till his eyes healed. He paused not moving not wanting to accidently hurt Mikasa, his only movement was to place his hands over his nape. He tried to follow the sounds of the whirling and gas being fired, but it was sporadic and to many people. By the time his left eye had healed he watched as Levi pulled his blade from the last man, when a gun shot went off, Eren flinched waiting for the barb to hit him again in the eye. But what he watched was more painful than anything else. Levi began to fall, his body crumpling falling straight down, blood pooling under his head.


	13. All or nothing

Eren’s heart thumped in his throat as his now two eyes turned in the direction the sound of the gun had come from, a man in a trench coat and hat stood with his gun reloading it. Eren shrieked, rage and anger and loss in his voice, he lunged forward, the first barb hit him in the chest, completely ignoring it, the second took him in his throat, it didn’t even still the cries coming from him. The man was fast, very fast and his style of movements reminded him of Levi in a small way, this had to be Kenny, he had shot his own nephew.

Kenny shot off two rounds, but they were hastened and didn’t get anything vital, he was cursing himself as he jumped off the house and started to move away from the enraged titan shifter, at least he got one of them, Levi was defiantly the more dangerous of the two. Now it was just the titan. He glanced back expecting to see the titan trying to go around the building, but his eyes widened at the giant just pushed his way through the building, smashing it to the ground. Hands flying towards him trying to catch him. He led Eren towards the station he had canons set up to destroy the creature. It was all working to plan.

***

Levi groaned as he woke clutching his head, his hand came back wet he looked down at it, his hand was covered in his own blood.

Gentle hands helped sit him up.

Mikasa steadied the Corporal, “Easy, the bullet grazed your head,” she pushed another piece of the torn-up cloak against his head, “You tripped on your way down and hit your head on the ground, knocking you out momentarily.”

A loud angry screech filled the air.

“Eren,” Levi said as he turned, that cry was so mournful.

“He thinks you’re dead, he was gone on a rampage to get the man that shot you.” Mikasa nodded in the direction of the buildings that had all been smashed showing the path of the pissed off titan.

“Come on,” Levi stood and he wobbled a bit, shaking his head he cleared his vision, “Lets go get the big brute,” he checked his gear and found it all okay and he took off not caring if Ackerman followed or not. The destruction that Eren left was unbelievable, buildings were toppled everywhere, the citizens all screaming in terror as they tried to flee the zone of destruction. “Fuck Eren, calm down,” Levi muttered. He hit the gas a bit harder, flying as past as he dared to. The first canon blast made him grit his teeth, as a second and third followed, then so many he couldn’t count them all. But what made his heart jump was the sound of a loud roar get cut off halfway. “EREN,” Mikasa screamed from behind him.

*

Levi pulled up on the edge of the building that overlooked the clearing that was between the city and the wall, so much dust had been kicked up, nothing could be seen behind that swirl of brown.

“NOT DEAD I SEE,” Kenny called mockingly from the top of the wall high above him, “BUT WE GOT HIM.”

The mad laughter followed made Levi grit his teeth in anger,  “KENNY,” he roared, just about the fire off his grapples when a large spike of what looked like the same crystal that made up Eren’s fingers shoot through the air, impaling Kenny, where he stood, the laughter dying on his lips as blood spat from them, his body crumpling and falling.

Eren growled as he stepped forward his body was covered head to toe in full armour, erratic spikes all over his frame, Mikasa and Levi watched as Eren reached down and grabbed one spike at along his thigh, snapping it off, and throwing it hard, it smashed into the wall taking out three canons at once and then men behind them.

‘ _YOU TOOK HIM FROM ME,’_ Eren screamed inside his head, ‘ _SHOULD NEVER HAVE COME HERE, I SHOULD RIP THIS WHOLE FUCKING CITY TO THE GROUND AND LET THE TITANS EAT ALL OF YOU UNGRATEFUL BASTARDS.’_ Eren screamed his titan voice carrying loud and wide around the city. He threw the next spike this time taking out a whole few feet of the top of the wall.

“We have to stop him,” Mikasa whispered. But Levi was already gone, climbing up the wall, fast as he could.

“EREN,” he yelled, “EREN LOOK AT ME.” Those large green eyes, were full of such rage settled on him another spike in his hand ready to throw. “I’M ALIVE, I’M HERE EREN, I AM NOT GOING ANYWHERE.” That rage calmed and the next spike he had grabbed was dropped as the titan lumbered over to where he hung against the wall. One large hand reached out for him and he stepped on it. A sob came from the titan as Eren leaned over and nuzzled his nose into Levi, those expressive eyes staring straight into Levi.

“Come on,” He said to Eren, “Lets go save Erwin and the rest.”  

Eren nodded and he cuddled Levi into his chest, refusing to let the man jump up onto his shoulder like Mikasa. Levi grumbled but he let Eren carry him. The made it over to the scout den with no more trouble, just citizens running screaming from them, Eren made a sad sound in his throat his ears pinning back against his head. He hated that they were so scared of him, and it was his fault, how many did he accidently kill when he went on his rampage before? Mikasa rubbed his ear as Levi fiddled with his gear. The wall of the scouts loomed ahead and Eren poked his head over the top looking in.

Erwin felt the thuds of the approaching footsteps, he wiggled his fingers, he had used the key to undo the cuffs, morons had used the standard set. But he left them on his wrists to make it look like he was still chained, his fingers rubbing softly against the hilt of the small knife that one of the scouts had given him as they went around giving them water. It wasn’t much but it would kill used in the right spot. Eren head poked over the side wall. “NOW,” he roared, he slipped his cuffs and grabbed the knife, he was on his feet, the blade sliding into the throat of the MP before him. Shouts of surprise went off around them, only a single shot had gotten off, but there were no casualties, at least on their side all the MP’s were dead or seriously wounded, or knocked out.

Horses are quickly led from the stable as Eren reached over the top wall and placed Levi on the ground, Mikasa launching herself down with gear. The formation is formed quickly, Armin mounted with his son Eryn, Mikasa having Diana, holding on behind her. Erwin paused at the gate. “This is it men, you have one last chance, when we ride out of here, we are leaving through the wall gate. Anyone who wants to stay leave now, but remember you will have to change your name, you were never a scout, get your family if you have one out of Trost and to a different district.” A few slipped off, after giving Erwin a final salute and dropping their cloaks onto the fence, they disappeared over the back wall, and out of sight. But most stayed, Erwin looked around the scared faces of the families mounted before or behind his determined scouts. “Lets move,” he yelled and they rode out fast, Eren falling in behind them.

They got to the gate quickly but a large wall of people blocked the path. Angry civilians, screaming in anger when they saw Eren. A solid line of MP’s and Garrison in front, the fat official, the same that welcomed him to the city stood at the very centre, beside him Nile Dock.

“HOLT IN THE NAME OF THE KING,” Dock roared.

Erwin lifting his hand, and the procession stopped, except Levi, Hange, and Mike who moved up level with Erwin.

“YOU ARE ALL UNDER ARREST,” Dock continued, “THE TITAN EREN YEAGER, IS SENTENCED TO DEATH HERE AND NOW. ANY SCOUT THAT KILLS HIM HERE AND NOW WILL BE PARDONED FOR ALL THEIR PAST CRIMES.”

Dock paused for a moment but not a single scout shifted or moved.

“VERY WELL, ALL ARE UNDER ARREST, FOR TREASON, DESTRUCTION OF THE CITY, ANY SCOUTS JUST FOLLOWING ORDERS WILL RECEIVE DISCPLINARY PUNISHMENT AND WILL BE ADDED TO THE GARRISON AND PLACED ON PERMANENT WALL DUTY. THE LEADERS ERWIN SMITH, LEVI ACKERMAN, ZOE HANGE, MOBLIT BERNER DUE TO YOUR ACTIONS OF RESEARCHING AND NOT DISCLOSING THE TRUTH OF THE TITANS ORIGINS AND THEN DESTRUCTION ON SAID TRUTH,” Dock held up a crumbled piece of paper with scribbles on it. “YOU ARE SENTENCED TO IMMEDIATE DEATH.”

The MP’s and Garrison levelled their weapons and Eren growled, it was dark and menacing, and the entire crowd shivered as they looked up at him.

“A MOMENT EREN,” Erwin yelled out, his hand telling Eren to still. The large titan, growled but he nodded, his eyes fixed on Dock, if a single shot went off he would kill him first.

“I propose,” Erwin spoke up, turning his attention back to Dock.  “You banish us all, here and now,” his arm, circled the group behind him, “We will all leave, through this gate and then through to Shingshina and out through the wall. You will never see any of us again, until the threat of the titans is over.”

Nile Dock snarls “TRAITORS, YOU DESERVE TO DIE, THAT THING,” He points to Eren, “SHOULD HAVE BEEN KILLED YEARS AGO.”

But the crowd is angry and scared and sick of spending money on the scouts, and the carnage that came form Eren’s temper tantrum. “GET RID OF THEM, ALL OF THEM.” One person yelled, and then another followed, soon it was chanted throughout the crowd.

Dock looks around at the mass of people and he frowns at the screaming mass of people. He would have a riot soon if he wasn’t careful. He nods, “AGREED,” he yelled. “YOU ARE ALL HEARBY BANISHED FROM THE CITY OF MITRAS AND ALL SURROUNDING DISTRICTS.”

The crowd roared with agreement, the MP’s and Garrison parted, the crowd splitting, as Erwin led the procession forward the first of the rocks where thrown, it hit him on his arm, hard enough it actually grazed him. Eren growled as he bent down, the crowd froze, more rocks raised to be thrown, but Eren snarled and the crowd shivered as he went onto all fours, his body over the scouts. “Come on,” Erwin called, and he led the way through the gates, Levi leaned out of his saddle and snatched the piece of paper from Docks hand. The man lunging forward but Eren over them growled his gaze straight on Dock. The man whimpered and a wet patch started to pool at his feet. When all scouts had passed, Eren shimmed through the gate, it slammed behind them.

The procession was quiet as they rode, it was late the next day when they got to Shingashina, word had obviously carried ahead and the gate was open, and the streets crowded, all watching in silence as the scouts passed, Eren riding astride with Levi. He was stiff waiting for something anything to be thrown, he ready to growl when someone raised their hand, but a single flower hit the ground, more followed, all simple field flowers most dandelions or even weed flowers, but Eren blinked in surprise. “We haven’t forgot what you did for our city, you will be missed,” a woman said. The crowd all murmured and nodded, some even forming the scouts salute. Eren was shocked and he smiled hiding it in Levi’s shoulder. The large rocks Eren had stuffed in the gate way had been moved and replaced with a gate, and it was opened they rode through with the people waving them goodbye.

Eren grinned as the passed through and he looked up at the sky and breathed in the fresh air. He laughed and he kicked the horse, Levi muttering as he held on as the animal bounded forward. He let out a cheer as he jumped clear of the animal and landed in a run, he laughed as he bit his hand and he transformed as the last of their group passed the gate. He roared it sounded triumph, everyone who knew him grinned, and those that didn’t smiled softly, it was scary being beyond the wall, no protection, but here was a huge lug of a titan, looking happy as he all but danced around. Even Jean’s girlfriend who was shivering, curled her arms around Jean. Diana and Eryn laughed at the antics and they set off, on the path back to the forest.

It took almost six full days to reach the forest, with the unexperienced and children with them slowed them down. Most of time Levi travelled up on Eren’s shoulder during the day, keeping an eye out for titans, but only three hassled them the entire trip, Eren and Levi handling them easily.

It was approaching night when the exhausted group rode into the village, the horn announcing their approach.

Jhoel stood waiting on the ground, with lots of the villagers, Mike riding up to Maya, jumping from his horse while it was still moving, pulling her into a kiss, even dipping her, to the amusement of those around.   

“We need a home,” Erwin says to Jhoel. “I’m sorry, there is a lot of us, but we will all contribute we will not be a drain on this village.”

Jhoel just laughed and he opened his arms, “Welcome,” he called out over the group, as Eren’s titan dissolved, Levi being used as a crutch as he moved forward. He spotted the young and women in the group that clearly weren’t scouts all exhausted. “Anyone who has a family and children, we will put you up in a house temporally till more are built. You are all safe here.”

One woman at the back started to cry, hugging her very young child to her chest another older child sitting in front of her, almost asleep.

One of the single men in the village came forward and helped her from the horse. Other villagers mingling through the group of exhausted people. “Come on,” he lifted the little girl onto his shoulder, smiling as the woman’s husband came forward, “You can have my house, I will bunk with my brother’s family.” Quickly all the single men and woman offered over their houses over to the families, many women crying their thanks. Others came forward to help take care of the horses. The single scouts were shown places they could sleep for the night, all up in the trees.

“Why are you letting everyone go up?” Eren asked when he moved to Jhoel watching the lifts take the first of the groups up.

“There have been sightings of titans in the forest, none have come into the village yet, but have come in past your territory line.” Jhoel said softly. “But now your back, it will be fine again.” The man frowned, “What happened?” he asked.

Erwin took a deep breath, he explained what happened in quick and clear detail. Jhoel nodded through it all, as he watched Maya move amongst the new people, other citizens helping with the meagre possessions people had. 

“It will take a bit to adjust, and build more homes, but we will do it, it will be hard work, and we will need more hunters, but,” he nodded again, he slapped Erwin on his shoulder, “welcome to the village in the trees.” He guided Erwin off, “Oh and I am the leader here, remember that.” He laughed as Erwin grinned, “understood.”

Levi and Eren grinned, “Home,” Eren whispered.

“Home,” Levi answered. They smiled at each other and kissed, starting slow and soft, but quickly turned more heated.

“Hey,” a lump of what looked like a moss ball was thrown at them, Jean grinned, “There are kids here, keep it clean.” As the group around them grinned, villagers cheering.

Eren just started to laugh, Levi smirked and he to laughed, it was infectious soon everyone was laughing or at least shaking their heads in amusement. They were free.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just the epilogue left nearly finished


	14. Epilogue

It took another 2 years, but the titans were gone, every last one was wiped off the island. People left Mitras very slowly but left, spreading out back over the island, farms popping up everywhere. The rich still lived in the city behind their walls but people where free to come and go as pleased. The scouts changed from titans’ killers to law keepers beyond the wall. Most attaching themselves to villages as they popped up.

The forest village comfortable with their life stayed in the forest, but now with houses and other large buildings on the ground, as well as in the trees.

As to Eren and Levi, they had wanderlust, they wanted to see everything they could. They journeyed together, saw the island and eventually came to a stop by the sea. There they stayed, built a house, and made a small farm, living beside the ocean. Armin, Mikasa and the rest of the family joining them, Eryn now had a little brother.

Sasha and Connie stayed in the forest with the village, five children later and counting if their letters where anything to go by, naming Mike and Maya, who had married as the godparents.

Erwin moved back to Mitras helping to bring down the stale government, Hange and Moblit helping him, saying as good as life in the village was, they wanted to be back in the cities. Now the fear of the titans was gone, the government had no legs to stand on, the people rising against them when the truth of what they had done came out.

 ****

The sea lapped at the ocean, Levi leaning against Eren as they sat enjoying last rays of the sun, their hands between then entwined buried in the sand. Levi wiggled getting more comfortable against Eren, his head resting against his shoulder, his back curving against Eren's chest. 

“I love you,” Levi whispered.

“I love you to, Levi,” Eren kissed the top of Levi’s head.

The end

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well that’s it. Thanks to everyone who has read this and left comments, in particular Cowboymom2 and Technoqueen113, who commented on nearly every chapter.  
> Keep and eye out, maybe subscribe to my name. I have already started writing my next fic for Attack on Titan. Don’t know how long it will take to get it out, as I like to write a basic plot line for the whole thing before I start posting, I have about half of it already worked out. It will not be as nice as this one, no happiness all round. But should be within a month at max.  
> Edit: i have uploaded the start of bound and broken. Go check it out 
> 
> Basic idea is Eren runs from the scouts and he is captured and tortured and broken down to nothing but a slave. But when he is found, will the scouts be able to fix him and get him back to what he was, or is he lost to them forever.  
> I do also have a few one-off fics that are basically just smut for various fandoms, I will slowly post them as well.  
> SIGNING OUT ON BANISHED


End file.
